It Was A Night
by edgeof4teeners
Summary: AU. Two people—Rachel and Gar—meet each other on a trip to Jump City while waiting for the train, and things unfold during that one night on the train with getting to know each other. Escapades, adventures, and events do occur. However what will happen when their adventure comes to an end? Major BBRae.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: before you read this, I suggest you to read the author note at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: Teen Titans belong to DC Comics**

It Was A Night (1)

"No father," shouted the heiress, her eyes blazing with extruding fury. "I'm not marrying him, nor shall I'll be married to him, father!"

Trevor grabbed his daughter's arms and gripped them hard. She winced.

"Rachel," he said, face-to-face with his own daughter. "You're going to marry him, regardless if you like him or not."

"No fa—" she wanted to protest again, however her father's death glare gave her sweet intentions that it wasn't worth all to do. Her wanting out of this marriage was not going to do anything, if all, her father had control of this marriage regardless whether she liked it or not. Nor her or Mitchell had a say of anything. _Maybe Mitch had some say,_ she thought hard, looking up at her father who still had a strong grip on both her slim limbs staring down at her angrily. _But I don't, and I won't follow through to this._

Therefore, right at that moment she decided to do something that no one ever had tried to do to Trevor the terrible. Her lips pursed, she spit right on her father's face. The saliva enriched his beet red face and with that he gave his daughter a look that rivaled a block of ice. She was pretty sure something was going to break. That being the thick pregnant pause, or the slight given notation her father wouldn't let her be without doing something 10X harder back at her. Her father, she knew, was extremely compulsive. However she didn't show one glimpse of begotten fear.

Bringing his thick hand up, it connected hard with his daughter's ghostly pale cheek. It stung terribly and tears were welling up beneath her azure eyes. "I hate you!" She shouted, then she exited the room quickly before her father could say anything, and left the house she knew she would never be welcomed back into again.

—

—

"Friend Raven, here is your glorious luggage!" Crooned Kory. She had auburn hair, green bottled eyes, and tan orange skin. The foreign girl was really sad her only friend in the city was leaving for quite some time, she knew she was going to miss Rachel dearly. Her eyes gave away her emotions and although Rachel was a training psychologist her sixth sense was telling her that her best friend would miss her terribly and that she needed to get away for awhile.

When she had ran away she called Kory on a pay phone and told her the sudden events, and with that knowledge the Tamaran native offered the best help she could muster. With that being the suitcase filled with two dresses; one day and one formal. A pair of pajamas, two pair of undergarments, and three It's Donna! magazines.

"Thank you Kory," said Rachel giving her friend a warm hug. "I'll be back soon. However, if anyone ask's for me you are to reply no."

The Tamaranian nodded gleefully. "I'm to do that Raven, and may I say I feel very the down you are leaving." Her jade eye's gave away that saddened look again.

Rachel frowned a bit before giving her friend one last hug and in advance taking her steps towards the busy train station, her heart pumped with pride. Leaving her father's Hell was something she always wanted to fulfill. And here I am. We're her last thoughts before continuing her way.

—

—

While a heiress was running away from home a heir was told, on the other hand, to leave home and to never comeback. He was olive toned, his hair was blonde equivalent to a ripe lemon, and his clothes otherwise screamed hippy although he didn't make it the intention to dress so.

"This dude's talking smack to his own dad!" A middle aged man shouted amusingly. Everyone was crowded around the blonde on the pay phone considering his back was facing the crowd.

"YEAH STEVE, I ALREADY HAVE A PLACE OF MY OWN AND I DON'T NEED YOU."

—"I should really get some tips from this guy. 'Cause I'll probably need the courage to tell my dad I dropped out of college." A stranger in the crowd whispered to one of their friends.

_"Gar you're already a disappointment and here you are disrespecting me, your own father?"_

"AND IM CUT OFF, SO WHAT? STEVE I'LL FIND A BETTER JOB THAN THE ONE I HAD WORKING FOR YOU!"

—"Ooh, if I told my father that, my ass would be on a very thin line."

_"Honestly already Gar you're telling me this as an act of immaturity. I'm hanging u—"_

"AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IM GONNA BECOME AN ACTOR. I'LL BE GRACING THE BIG SCREEN IN NO TI—"

The line then went dead. Gar glancing nervously at the crowd around him, he knew he needed to end this phone call with Steve at least seeming he had gotten the final word.

"STEVE YOU'LL ONE DAY HAVE TO CALL ME FOR AN EMERGENCY. AND IF YOU NEED ME, DON'T EXPECT ANY HELP FROM YOUR SON."

Putting the phone back on the hook he turned around and saw that people in the crowd were giving him astonishing looks. He smiled in triumph and heard the applause as he went the opposite way. Right now he was deciding to take a train to Jump City, he heard the city was known for its many landscapes and drama theaters. And after hearing that, Jump City was his destination.

Thus glancing at his watch he sat down beside a quaint looking girl around his age. She seemed to be waiting for her train as well. Her hair was jet black with a blue streak running through it, her eyes were dark blue but if you glanced deep inside them they would suddenly have a purple hue to them, and her skin was extremely pale as if the sun never beamed on her. She was wearing a pair of black jeans, purple flats, and a dark blue shirt with a raven cardigan.

"So where ya' headin'?" He inquired the lady. Taking her eyes away from the book she was reading, she stared at him sharply. "None of your business."

"Hey," Gar said a bit defensively putting both his hands up in the air. "I was just wondering." He gave her a cheshire grin and she shook her head irritably at him. "Leave me alone." She then returned to reading her book.

He tried many things to get the girl's attention but all she was doing was successfully ignoring him, he frowned hence the fact ladies always seemed to go for his comedic charm and here this one was ignoring him. He didn't like it one bit, if all he wanted her attention more. However after his last failed attempt of getting her to look his way he decided to take out his phone to check his daily mail. He was pretty sure Rita sent him something like always. For instance on why Steve always acted the way he did towards him and such, or maybe another one of her general loving letters (he admittedly loved getting) reason being she always did remind him he was still part of the family no matter what.

But when he checked his email nothing new came up except his occasional DC news celeb feed. For some reason he knew he followed the website but he just couldn't put his finger on why. Mmh, he thought. Maybe I accidentally clicked on it when I was installing a new app or something.

Clicking on DC news, the front of the page read: HEIRESS OF DIRECTOR TREVOR RYAN IS RUMORED TO HAVE RUNAWAY. He clicked on the article. It shown a girl leaving a ritzy looking mansion. Her face, pale, had a big red mark on the side of it as if she were just slapped. He couldn't help but frown at the conclusion that maybe that could've been the cause but shaking his head in denial he knew Trevor the most famous director of all time wouldn't really do that to his own daughter. Would he? The guy's too cool, Gar thought absentmindedly.

Trevor Ryan, he knew, was known for his realistic raw action films that were spellbinding and the amateur actors he usually casted in his films. Nonetheless the actors were occasionally great and acted beyond their years and he wanted to be one of those actors. Turning his attention away from his phone for a moment he stared at the girl once again who continued to ignore him. Her face he saw seemed oddly familiar, as if he just seen it someplace else awhile ago. Therefore he glanced at the screen of his phone once again.

Pale skin, blue streak in hair...

"You're Trevor Ryan's daughter!" After the words had left his mouth, the girl covered his mouth instantly with her hand. "Are you crazy?" She whispered-yelled, glancing cautiously around to see if anyone heard him. "You're lucky no one heard your galant lie. You're just like the paparazzi. Noisy, no empathy, rude..."

"Now, now," said Gar, slowly removing her hand from his mouth. "Who said I was gonna tell?"

"You're like eve—"

"Wait," he said, removing a strand of her black hair away from the side of her face. The red mark was their, contrasting with her ghostlike flesh, he grimaced. "Did Trevor slap you?"

"Trevor, why should I know who Trevor is? Bringing up names I'm not aware of, and you're just a stranger. Now, leave me alone."

"Come on, don't act like you weren't scared when I said: 'YOU'RE TREVOR RYAN'S DAU—"

The girl then slapped him, interrupting him in the process. Gar looked her as if she needed to be put in a mental institution.

"Wh—wha—what was that for?"

"You needed to be quiet."

Gar got up from the chair he was sitting in and glared down at her. It didn't appeal to him whatsoever that this girl slapped him. He had been in an abusive relationship with a girl—he wouldn't like to recall—and here this stranger he didn't quite know was reminding him the years of torment he had suffered in that relationship.

"You know what," he said to the girl whom went back to ignoring him. Her eyes once again glued to the page of her book. "I'm gonna call DC News and tell them where Trevor Ryan's daughter is."

"You don't even know my name."

"Ha, but I can search on my phone. That is what the Internet is for, right?"

He then turned around and left the girl gobsmacked.

—

—

Gar decided he needed to make this phone call privately. If he was gonna tell a celebrity gossip site where the daughter of a famous director was, this needed to be done privately. Thereupon he sat near two vending machines that were "out of order", and made the call. However the office didn't pick up which didn't stop him. He tried two more times with still no answer but then decided on leaving a message.

"I have an idea where Rachel, Trevor Ryan's daughter, might be."

And that was all. He knew with just those words they would call him back in no time. Smiling in triumph, he went back to where the girl now he knew as Rachel still remained. She wasn't reading her book anymore but still seemed rather intimidating and desolated.

"Hey," he greeted. She stared up at him with a critical eye but stayed content. "Hi."

"The train will be here in ten minutes, right?"

"What do you think?"

Grabbing his duffel bag, he glanced at the purple suitcase she had beside her and the purse that was on her lap that she was currently rummaging through trying to find her misplaced ticket.

"Need help looking for something?"

"No."

"Yeah you do, what is it? Your ticket?"

"..."

"Well, I'll just say this, if you can't find your ticket I have an extra one."

"No need for that," she clamored. "I'm not gonna get help from an unworthy stranger. What's your name? Wait, don't answer that. Once again why would I wanna know a scumbag's name?"

"Hey, hey," said Gar playfully. "My bad for being a scumbag earlier but let me introduce myself. Gar as in Garfield Logan. And you?"

_Maybe he didn't tell DC News, _she thought.

"Rachel Roth."

"Fine Rachel Roth, where ya' headin'?"

"Jump City."

"I seen you more as the Gotham City type; eerie, reclusive, and content."

"I'm not going to a place with mental unstable rats out on the loose. Arkham is just a step away from that city and me going there is a waste of time. Now be quiet, please."

"Hey you haven't found that ticket yet. So here, I'll give you this one."

He then grabbed her pale hand and wrapped her fingers around the ticket.

"No, like I said. I'm not gonna get help from a scumbag."

"Hey, you're acting like you're checking into rehab or something, and I'm your shrink. It's not like that. Now take the ticket."

"Fine, but if I have to. I will hurt you."

He nodded.

"Train for Jump City has arrived. Grab your luggage and your kids and make your way towards the train at this moment." The intercom announced.

"Ha," said Gar with a chuckle, standing up. "You're my kid 'kid.'"

"Shut up."

—

—

**AN: Well I know Gar seems to be a bit of a jerk but please give this story some time to linger and you'll eventually see he's not mean. And it may be a bit OOC for him but later in the fic that will change. Anyway, this is AU. But still Teen Titan characters. Also, this is based off the film It Happened One Night.**

**P.S. When the story is done I'll be sure to edit every chapter.**

Rachel Roth—Raven

Gar Logan—Beast Boy

Steve—Mento

Rita—Elasti Girl

Kory—Starfire

Mitchell—Malchior

Trevor Ryan/ Trevor the terrible—Trigon the terrible (Raven's dad)

DC News—a parody of celebrity news websites.

It's Donna—magazine franchise based off of the superhero wonder girl.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, DC Comics does. Me, Never!**

It Was A Night (2)

After getting on the train Rachel realized their were no seats available. She tried seeing if there were anymore available in the back, but when she looked there, all the seats were taken. Or maybe not.

"Ya' can sit by me,"

She groaned. If that voice was her alarm clock she would probably have broken the clock by now. It was Garfield Logan, the guy she had just recently met whom had been bugging her for quite some time. She had been skeptical of him ever since he had figured out she was Trevor Ryan Roth's daughter, who was probably the most respectable director/producer of this time. Rachel never really did find her father's work any good. It was always wishy washy and superb. She wanted something in depth, like the journals she kept at home locked in a safe. If she kept those journals easy for hands to get onto, she wouldn't have been here right now. Considering most of her journal entries contained reasons why she loathed her father so much and ways to escape home.

"Come Rachel," Gar said with a toothy grin, coaxingly patting the seat next to him. "Sit here, please?" She sighed and reluctantly sat down in the seat. "Fine."

"Now about the DC News situation I didn't tell them where you were. But I did leave a message."

She raised an eyebrow and stared at him comprehensively. "Saying what?"

"I'll tell you, but may you promise me this one thing?"

The pale girl crossed her arms.

"I'm not making any promises until I know what you told them."

"I didn't tell them anything, now if you don't want me to, you'll have to promise me this. Put me in one of your father's films."

"Ha—ha," she said sarcastically. "Now I demand you to tell me what you said in that message this instant."

"Okay, okay calm down. I'll tell you."

After a moment he said, "I told them I may know where you are. That's all, I swear."

"Mmm," she said examining him for a moment. "I'll believe you..."

"You do?" Gar asked hopefully crossing his fingers. _I'm gonna be famous._

"When Hell freezes over."

_Dang!_

"Come on Rachel, believe me, I didn't tell them. I sw—"

"I'm going to nap. Don't interrupt me." She made sure to lay her head down away from him. Her trust in him wasn't there yet and her skepticism still stood strong. Thereafter a couple minutes sleep consumed her, and sleep consumed Garfield Logan as well.

—

—

When he woke up Gar could smell the scent of lavender beneath his noise. As if he were in a field of flowers. Looking down he saw that Rachel somehow was snuggled against him. He smiled at how calm her features seemed to be. Her eyes were shut showing her long eyelashes, her mouth turned upward in delight, and he saw she naturally blushed; both her cheeks rosy. Therefore pushing a strand of hair away from her face, he saw how gracefully beautiful Rachel Roth really was.

Just then his stomach growled, giving away how long it has been since he had last eaten. Staring at Rachel her eyes slowly opened. "You should probably eat something." She murmured against his chest.

"Well, it doesn't help you're addicted to me," he couldn't help but add playfully.

She scoffed. "You wish." Sitting up she grabbed her purse and stood. "Want to tag along, I suppose?" Gar nodded standing up too. "Sure, why would I want to leave my beloved Rachel."

—

—

The line at the cafe car was terrifically long. An inspirational speaker was making small talk or rather a long inspirational speech with the cashier whom was a lousy looking guy who wore nothing but tore up jeans, a pair of working boots, and a t-shirt.

"You know what? Going to college at a slow rate is a good thing, it's saying 'I'm getting back on track,' reevaluating everything, taking everything in, being the person I can be. So do go to college, go to your parents look them both in the eye and say: 'Mom, Dad, Im going to college,' tell them your plan. Regardless of their reaction, say to yourself 'I'm trying to become the best person I can become.'"

Some people clapped and agreed with the long inspirational speech while others groaned. "Hurry it up, wouldja?"

Before long, the line was moving in motion.

"What would you like today?" The cashier asked. She wore pink extensions in her hair and went heavy on the eyeliner. Rachel, by all means, thought her appearance was quite expressive. "A bagel and one chamomile tea please." The cashier nodded and was about to round up the order until Gar spoke up. "Wait, this is all on one tab. I would like two chocolate sprinkled donuts and a coffee," looking at the girl's name tag," if you don't mind, Jenny."

Rachel gave him an eerie glance. Hence the fact he was paying for her food when really she had all the money in the world, and second he was flirting with the cashier.

"Oh, don't worry. I don't mind at all." Jenny then replied, fluttering her eyelashes like an actress in a black in white film. Rachel couldn't help but grimace. She wasn't jealous. No, not one bit, Rachel Roth jealous? Her liking Garfield Logan was something she couldn't ever imagine, if anything she could imagine herself nearly killing him, that's for sure.

"Thank you." Gar replied, giving the girl one of his signature toothy grins.

"No problem."

They continued looking at each other flirtatiously until both him and Rachel were handed their orders and back to their seats.

"Finally," Rachel remarked.

Gar nudged her. "Were you jel...ous?"

Taking a bite of her bagel and a sip of her tea she monotonously answered, "No."

"Yeah right."

"I need an aspirin." She then got up from her seat and looked in the compartment she had put her purple suitcase in, as she felt for it she looked up and saw her suitcase wasn't in there. Don't worry Rachel, the dweeb must've moved it. Looking at the blonde, she put her hands on her hips and stared at him.

Gar growing agitated at her intimidating stare, put both his hands up. "Did I do something wrong? Cause if I did it's a lie, it's a lie, it's a li—"

"Gar stop with the antics. Where's my suitcase?"

He stopped rambling and stared at her dumbfounded.

"This is about your suitcase?"

"Yes."

"Well I don't know what you're talking about, 'cause I haven't done anything to your suitcase."

"Then why isn't in the compartment?"

"I don't know."

Rachel rubbing her forehead tenderly, gave him a glare.

"Gar, I know you've done something to my suitcase. If you're trying to auction it off somewhere, there's nothing in there except a few borrowed dresses, underwear, and some magazines. So now as you see, there is nothing in there. Please, just tell me where my suitcase is. I know you've hidden it somewhere."

"Honestly Rachel, I don't know what you're talking about. And I wouldn't have auctioned off your suitcase regardless what I would get out of it. It just seems to me someone else stole your suitcase, not me."

"Well," deadpanned Rachel sitting back down, "If that's the case, there's no need getting it back now. I don't need it anyway, would have been another headache. I'll just buy me some new clothes when I arrive in Jump City."

_After all, _she thought. _New beginnings._

—

—

The train stopped in Central City, a town known for its urban legend The Flash. It was refreshing and rejuvenating for everyone on the locomotive to be out and about considering the train ride went for 12 hours, it now being currently 8:00 pm. The next train to Jump City would arrive at 9:00 pm.

"Wowza, that was one long train ride, wasn't it Rae?" Gar remarked, flexing his legs a little.

She gave him a look and started walking towards a vending machine. "Don't call me that." Ignoring her, he sat down on a vacant bench and watched as she walked away. "Some lady."

As he waited for Rachel he checked his email again. No message from Rita and no news from DC either. He could have cared less though, the site really didn't express sympathy towards celebrities so he decided to unsubscribe. Therefore he realized there was a miss call.

Clicking on the red telephone icon he saw the number, it was a returned call from DC news but he deleted it. The idea of telling them where Trevor Ryan's daughter dwindled behind his mind. Like said he could have really cared less about telling those people where Rachel was. He really wanted to earn her trust and starting with deleting those people would be a good start. He then put his phone back inside his pocket and stared up at the night starry sky.

—

—

"Stop it," Rachel said eying the guy suspiciously. "If my father sent you here, I demand you to give me the phone."

The guy smirked. "Sorry miss, won't do that. Trevor told me if I found you, my reward would be contributed."

"What reward?"

The guy didn't answer her question, nonetheless he grabbed her from behind and forced her inside a vehicle perched in front of the main entrance of the train stop.

"I know what you are doing, and I give you a warning to put me down this instant!"

"Or what?" He challenged now in the driver's seat. He locked the car doors and tied a bandana around her eyes. _Does he think this hasn't happened to me before? This guy is a newbie and he obviously isn't prepared. _Numerous times Rachel Roth had attempts of running away, and she was always found successfully by her father's men. And now that she was out of her father's sight—from what she could tell—this was the farthest she had gotten away from her father and she wasn't going to let this guy take her away.

As he started the engine, she grabbed the nail filer she kept inside her pant pocket and lurched at the guy, considering he didn't tie her all the way up. Him surprised, put both his hands up in surrender and did as was told.

"Did my father send you here?" Rachel inquired, putting the sharp nail filer against his neck, almost putting him in a choke hold.

"Not exactly!"

"What do you mean, per se, by not exactly?"

At that moment the passenger side door opened revealing a frazzled Gar. He took a look at the situation and smirked. "Dude, seriously?"

The guy smiled gleefully although he was still being threatened violently. With a wave of his hand he said,

"Hey Gar."

Rachel looked at Gar questionably while tightening the hold she had around the guy's neck. "How do you two know each other?" she deadpanned.

The two men smiled at each other. However they didn't say anything.

"I precaution you to tell me now or..." she demanded tightening the hold on the guy's neck.

"Gar please tell her."

"Fine," the blonde said. "His name's Wally West, we went to college together. He hosts a show called Royalty on the Loose, which is basically a show about catching famous people's children and calling them out. Like if they're at a night club partying, doing illegal thin—"

"That's dumb," Rachel interjected gravely. "You're humiliating people for money. I should really hurt you right now, but resisting to do so you'll live for another day."

She then hopped out of the car, although Gar stayed where he was. "Ya know man, don't ever do this again. If you want money call your uncle. Buh-bye."

But before he left, he grabbed the flier from the glovebox of his friend's car and read it over and huffed. "And before you want to kidnap someone for money, make sure you have a plan first."

Wally flushed. "I know that now."

Thereafter Gar left, the call for the train to Jump City rang through the quiet train station.

—

—

**AN: Tell me what you think? Thanks for favoring! Who's Wally West? Hint: he's the nephew of our dear The Flash.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. Never.**

It Was A Night (3)

"How did you get through the locked doors?" Rachel asked Gar as the two boarded the train. They were continuing to talk about the incident that had occurred with Wally West.

He smiled. "The doors were locked?"

Rachel still skeptical of him, decided to sit by a middle aged man whom was playing a game on his phone. He doesn't seem too bad, she thought. Gar a bit hurt that she wasn't sitting by him watched as she took out her book from her purse and began to read.

_Why is she so difficult?_ he couldn't help but think. Of course he kept admiring her from afar but what he saw in her she didn't quite see in him. She thought he was an imbecile, a nuisance, and a nag. And although she could agree he has helped her some during this trip, she knew it was by his choices. She hadn't even asked him for help and she sure wasn't going to start either.

Therefore, turning the page of her book someone nudged her. It was the man she was sitting by who did so. He had an alluring smile. "Miss, I think you're awful pretty." She gave him a small smile and nodded. "Thank you."

Gar frowned. Even though he only knew Rachel for almost a day, he could tell she rarely smiled. He noticed she always seemed to rarely show any emotion and if she did, it was only for disgust and disapproval.

"Why, where are you traveling birthday cake?" said the guy.

Rachel looking up from her book gave him a disgusted look. "Excuse me?"

He winked at her. "You're like baskin' in Carmel. Sticky, sweet, and delicious." He then had enough nerve to add a growl at the end. A sound of thunder could be heard in the background.

_Pitter—patter!_

_Pitter—patter!_

Rachel sitting up in her seat, glared at him.

"I'm not caramel, or as you say, sticky, sweet, and delicious. If you don't mind, I would suggest you leave me alone."

The guy's smile broadened. "Well the name's Leo but my friends call me Adonis, and although you're not my friend. I'll make you mine, sugar."

Gar wasn't really feeling Adonis, he found him too proud of himself and too confident.

"Now, tell me honey. What's your name, I want you to be my icing to my Oreo."

Rachel was utterly sure she wasn't going to be able to make it through this train ride without strangling the guy. Her heart was pumping with adrenaline, and before she could even speak, Adonis spoke again. "Please tell me your name sweet chocolate," he laid his hand on her thigh. "'Cause I would surely want to get know you, if you know what I mean."

That's it, Gar thought angrily. "Leave my wife alone!"

Adonis quickly moved his hand away from Rachel's leg, and smiled up at Gar mischievously. "You're her husband?"

"Yeah," Gar said, standing up and inching towards him. "And if you don't mind, I don't like you touching her." Rachel surprised, gave Gar a strange look. What is he doing?

She never really thought he would stand up for her. If all, she never really thought anyone would stand up for her. It was always her who had to fight for herself, not anyone else. This was foreign to her.

"I'll touch her again, 'cause man, she's not your wife. You're way out of her league." Attempting to put his hand on her thigh again Gar grabbed Rachel's hand and pulled her to his side, luckily her book was put back into her purse and her purse was right on her shoulder.

"She is my wife," looking at Rachel he said,"Come on Rachel let's sit some where else." He then put his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the back of the train, and this time they both knew to sit down beside each other.

A moments of silence was exchanged between the two until Rachel decided to break it. "Thank you," she said quietly, her voice grave.

He smiled widely and nodded. "You're welcome, wife."

"Don't ruin it."

—

—

The thunder outside was still heard inside the train as the passengers got off. Gar grabbed Rachel's hand out of courtesy and quickly found them both cover from the pouring rain. Which was a bus stop with a bench topped with a canopy.

"I think we should call a taxi to take us to a motel for the night, and then we'll take the train to Jump City tomorrow." Suggested Gar with a bright smile, looking at Rachel whom didn't agree with his plan.

"No," she said solemnly, shaking her head slowly in disagreement. "I want to leave as quickly as possible. Where are we?" Staring at the sky she added with her hands up in the air dreadfully, "must I ask?"

Gar shrugged. "I don't know, I think Starling City."

Rachel didn't say anything. Her thoughts were plagued with pessimism and disappointment. The one time I'm actually leaving my father, this has to happen? She gripped the bridge of her nose and stared at the ground below her.

Gar frowned. He didn't want Rachel to be upset but seeing as she was, he then thought of something. "Now Rachel what about w—"

She interrupted him with a stop of her hand. "Leave me alone."

"Come on Rae, ple—"

"No! What did I say about calling me that?! My name's not Rae, it's Ra—chel."

Gar seeing that nothing was working, stood up and walked away. A few minutes later he came back with a small bag in his hand. Honestly Rachel thought he had left her, but seeing now that he had came back that fear was pushed aside. Thus he grabbed what was inside the bag; revealing a beautiful necklace.

"What is that?" Rachel inquired looking away from the ground. Obviously she saw it was a necklace but the stones seemed quite exquisite and unique to be just any necklace.

"It's for you," said Gar undoing the necklace's hook. "The guy at the shop I was browsing at told me the necklace was rare, so I bought it."

Rachel gobsmacked didn't show it, more so she wasn't impressed with his sucking up. "I'm not accepting it."

"Wh—"

Gar's eyes grew expediently big. He wasn't favoring Rachel so much now, he was more annoyed than anything hence the fact he went into the pouring rain just to buy her something to make her feel better. And here he saw she was not impressed nor satisfied with his gift.

"Well, here just keep it," he urged with a sad smile that he sure wasn't trying to show. "I was just trying to make you feel better, that's all."

"I know you were but..." Rachel wasn't trying to feel bad. The necklace she thought was exceptionally beautiful; gold with red rubies but somehow she knew she didn't deserve it. She knew Gar was just trying to help but she just wanted to get more away from her father than anything. Therefore standing up, she stared at Gar with a small smile dripping from her lips.

"Call a taxi."

"You mean we're going to stop here for the night?" His eyes sparkled, and with his hair wet and stringy and clothes completely wet, Rachel thought about how much he really did help her on this trip.

"Yes Gar, call a taxi. If we're going to stay a night at a motel, I think we will need some type of transportation."

The blond smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, you're right." He then fished his phone right out of his pocket and started dialing. "Yeah we'll definitely need a taxi."

He didn't give her the necklace (because she didn't take it). But he would give it to her sooner or later.

—

—

Subsequently the two checked into a motel room, one they would have to share for the night, considering Rachel didn't have a credit card or barely any money, now that she thought of it, Trevor Ryan—her dad—canceled all of her banking accounts, and most of the money she did bring on the trip was in her luggage that was stolen. And even if she did decide to use her credit card she knew it would've been another way her father could've tracked her down.

Nonetheless the motel room had two beds and was neat to the T.

"Now the bathroom they say is out of order so we have to use the public bathrooms for now." Gar laid spread out on his bed like a spider monkey.

Rachel groaned as she sat down on the ragged chair. "They still have those?" She mumbled to herself. Her knowledge of public hospitality was limited. Ever since she was a child she always stayed trapped inside her house as if she were Rapunzel waiting for her prince to come save her and here she was now.

"I know right? Public bathrooms... There'll probably be a long line in the morning. Shucks, this is some motel." Gar then clucked his tongue, much to Rachel's annoyance, and started to undress.

"Get. Out."

He looked her way, puzzled.

"Get out? Oh, come on Rachel I'm just getting undressed. And I paid for this room didn't I?"

"Yes Gar, you did pay for the room, but I didn't ask you to whatsoever, nor did I want to stay here. Now you either leave right now, or I'll force you out of here myself."

Gar about to protest once again looked at her alluringly. "Would you really wanna leave me out in the rain Rae?" He slowly went towards her, unbuttoning his shirt one by one.

"Leave me alone Gar, or..."

He didn't stop staring at her as he stopped in front of where she was sitting and decided to take off his shirt there. Rachel didn't look his way though, however she could't resist taking one glance at him from the side of her view. She could see he did sport a six pack but he wasn't too buff which she liked, his skin was quite tan compared to his blond hair color she found contrasting, she could tell blonde was his natural hair color but he dyed it before—telling from some of the green hues she could see poking through strands of his soaking wet hair.

"Come on Rachel," he said cajolingly, wiggling his eyebrows in the process. "Look at me, ya' know you wanna see."

"No."

"Fine, I'll make you."

He tried making eye contact with her but he was having a hard time doing so, therefore he did one thing he knew would work. Staring at her for a long amount of time was the key, and he did just that.

Rachel on the other hand was losing her willpower unwillingly. She wanted to slap him again just as she had done at the train stop, however she knew that took a lot of her might which she was currently losing. _He is an imbecilic hippy with no job as you can see. If you look Rachel, he wins._

10 minutes later Gar won. She was staring at him, her eyes meeting with his two azure irises her heart beating rapidly in the process. Her subconscious she knew was disappointed with her but she didn't care, all she wanted was to get out of her wet clothes, to get this juvenile charade over and done with, and to go to sleep.

"Yes Gar, you win. Now leave me alone."

"Yes! I win Rachel!" He crooned triumphal. Thus with his shirt in his hand he started spinning the flannel teasingly and dancing. "In yo' face Rae, I knew you couldn't resist me. Mm—mh, I won." Seeing as Rachel was entering the 'out-of-order' bathroom to change out of her clothes, he grabbed something from his duffel bag.

"Rachel wait! Here's some PJs the motel had, so since you don't have your luggage..."

Rachel about to close the door stopped it and grabbed the nightwear from Gar's hands. "Thank you."

He smiled widely and nodded. "No problem, Rae."

From the other side of the door he could hear an exasperated yell of: Don't. Call. Me. Rae. It's Ra—chel!"

—

—

**A/N: Please review. I'll probably be updating soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. Never.**

It Was A Night (4)

Rachel woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. The smell brought her back to the earlier years of her life, when Arella her mother was still living with Trevor and her, and her mother's mind was not wrecked with the havoc her father had caused her mother to falsely visualize.

The smell made Rachel smile as she sat up. Opening her eyes, she saw two plates filled with food being what seemed to be on one plate tofu bacon, tofu eggs, and fruit. On the other plate there was plain ol' bacon and eggs with black berry jam on toast. Gar, however, wasn't in the room which she had noticed seeing as the other bed was already made up and empty.

Therefore she saw a dress laid out on one of the table chairs. Getting up from the bed she went towards the chair and examined the dress. As she lifted the garment up from the chair, she saw it had colors of purple, orange, blue, and black. Also she saw the dress wasn't dressy nor one you would wear on a girl's night out—not that she had ever experienced one of those before, she just saw the dress was something you would wear during the daytime instead of on certain occasions.

Setting the dress back down on the chair the door to the motel room opened, revealing a clean and kempt Gar; his hair was clean and shiny compared to yesterday. He then wore a casual 70s flannel and some simple brown corduroy pants with a pair of Jesus sandals.

He smiled as he saw she was already awake. "Good morning Rachel. I took all the clothes you got yesterday and sent them to get washed. Also I took a taxi and went to the mall and bought you a dress at one of those goth—romance and stone stores, not that you're goth or anything, it just seems to be more of your style that's all." He then halted his rambling and stared at the food on the table.

"I hope your plate didn't get cold, this motel's pretty much weird considering they have a kitchen that everyone here uses and shares. Took me forever to cook all of this but I hope you like it."

Rachel smiled and took a bite of her bacon. She was quite impressed of how much of a good cook he was, thus she continued eating her breakfast gradually in big bites.

"You're close with your mom," she remarked finished with her plate.

Gar flushed. "What's that supposed to mean? He inquired nervously scratching the back of his neck. _She might think I'm some kinda' prick._

"You know how to cook." Rachel picked up her coffee cup filled with herbal tea, she smiled as she smelt the familiar scent of chamomile.

"Well Rita always said a man who knows how to cook, makes a gentlemen."

"Rita seems nice,"

Gar smiled wistfully. "Yeah, she is."

"What about your mom. How's she like?"

Rachel almost about to take a sip of her hot tea, set her cup down and sighed. "I would rather not talk about my mother."

"Hey," prodded Gar. "What could be so bad? Huh, my mom's dead but Rita's good, loves me, and she cares about me like a real mom should. So whatcha got?"

"Well while I'm quite surprised about your revelation, my mom's checked into a place treated for her condition."

"What condition?"

"I'll tell you later," said Rachel standing up. "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Well um, there's a long line so it might be long before you comeback. I'll be here."

—

—

While Rachel trudged to the girl's public bathroom she reevaluated Gar mentally in her mind. Her hands held a towel, a bar of Dove soap, and a small bottle of shampoo the motel provided.

_He's a nuisance of course, he is quite handsome, however his 70s hippy flower child wear isn't appealing at all. His hair could be cut as well..._

Making her way towards the bathroom door she grew distracted and didn't realize the long line that inched all the way to the back entrance of the motel's lobby to the bathroom door. Therefore she knocked on the door.

—"Couldja' give me second?!''

Rachel jumped which made the girls in the line laugh. "Ha, sweetheart you'll have wait like the rest of us."

Rachel then nodded, not even trying to show her disdain towards the chicanery, she did as was told and went to the back of the line. Much to her dear chagrin.

—

—

"I ran away from my father, too!" Gushed the blonde delightfully. Rachel had learned the woman's name was Dinah Laurel Lance. She lived here in Starling City all her life and was in a steady relationship with an older man named Oliver.

"Now the reason I ran away from my father," said Dinah filing her red polished toenails. All the girls were crowded in the bathroom now being the remaining five whom were in the back of the line awhile ago, including Rachel herself. "'Cause he didn't know when to lightin' up, he sometimes would make me have to fight for what I wanted. Like one time he made me box with him, just 'cause I needed to borrow the car."

Switching her other foot and leaning it against the countersink, she looked up at Rachel and smiled, her teeth white and shiny. "So tell me, why did you runaway?"

Rachel stared back with her unemotional mask she had perfected her senior year. "Typical reasons." She was already out the shower and into the dress Gar bought her, and admittingly she liked the dress but to finish the outfit off she knew would need some other shoes instead of her quaint purple flats.

"What typical reasons?" Another girl in the bathroom inquired frankly, she wore a white robe and was brushing her straight long black hair.

"My father in other people's eyes is an extraordinary man," said Rachel, she was having a hard time deciding whether or not she should tell them who she was. If she did, she knew there would be two cons; them or at least one of them calling DC News, maybe even that magazine It's Donna she thought was considerably dumb, and telling them where she was. Or, kidnapping her and taking her to her father like that Wally West would've done if it wasn't for her portable nail filer and Gar, and receiving that big reward. Therefore she decided on No.

"And if people think of my father in that particular way, you would wonder what type of freedom he truly does have." She finished.

Dinah smirked, "Wow, aren't you a witty one," she then said to all of the girls in the compacted bathroom. "We all know who she is, right?"

Every single girl in the bathroom nodded cheerfully. "You're Trevor Ryan's daughter!"

_Wow, and the last person who said that got slapped. _Rachel thought sarcastically.

"It's obvious," crooned Dinah rolling her eyes, "the hints, everything. However you won't have to worry about anyone of us blowing your cover. Am I right, girls?" She stared at the girls sternly that were now crowded around an irritated Rachel, they all nodded knowingly. "I mean, this motel is a pretty cracked up one—if ya' know what I mean—and we're good at keeping secrets."

"I'm not sure if I should trust your word," Rachel's gut feeling continued to drip with skepticism. "I'm trying to get away from my father's grasp as much as possible."

Dinah tsked. "And you don't think we already know that?"

—

—

Gar knew it would be quite sometime before Rachel came back. He saw how long the lines were to the public bathrooms that stretched far from one point to the other. Honestly he had thought the motel would get everyone's plumbing up and working again, but somehow that didn't happen.

Leaving the motel room he headed towards the lobby. He decided he needed some fresh air and the lobby was the closest thing he would get to it outside of the swimming pool.

Therefore when he entered the lobby nobody was there except the motel clerk and a guy who was playing on his phone. Going up to the front desk he snagged a cookie but before he even took a bite, the concierge said something.

"I wouldn't eat those things if I were you," he warned nonchalantly, Gar then put the pastry back on the plate and took a glance at the guy's name tag. Roy Harper. He smiled in remembrance of the guy's name. He knew him, they had went to college together.

"Roy Harper?"

The guy looked up from the desk and smiled. "That's my name."

Gar almost did forget about the guy's cockiness. The ladies loved him for that and his carrot orange hair that they all thought went well with his starling emerald eyes. Thus, Roy Harper went around the desk and the two men did that handshake that all men did.

"Wow, what are you doing down here man?"

Gar shook his head and gave him his signature cheshire grin. "Ya' know dude, just typical vacationing, but I'm just stopping here for the time being. I'm supposed to catch my train at four." He wasn't even bothering to tell him about Rachel.

"When did you check in?"

"Last night around 11,"

"Mmh, wow if made it in on time I probably could've given you a discount."

"And I'm guessing you were late 'caus—"

"Hey, hey," said Roy looking cautiously around the room, lowering his voice to the slight minimum. "Mia (my manager) doesn't even know I was late. So please just ya' know..."

"Yeah... Anyway what's up with the plumbing dude? These weird public bathrooms..."

Roy smirked. "It's the motel owner being dumb and that would be my dumb uncle. "

"You two still cool?"

Before Roy had a chance to answer him, the guy that was playing on his phone earlier, seemed annoyed and irritated slapping his hand on the bell impatiently. "Is there any help here?" Roy hurriedly went back around the counter. "What can I do for you?"

Gar grimaced at the guy Adonis. The same guy on the bus whom was flirting with Rachel. Right then and there Gar could feel his hands going tight into knuckles, he knew if he had to fight this dude he would—hands down. Nonetheless he left without even saying an adieu to Roy Harper. He wanted to leave unnoticed and he did just that.

When he arrived back to the motel room he was surprised to see Rachel in the dress he had bought her. Not only was he surprised but happy. He bought her something she loved, and thought she really did look great in that dress. Instead of the flats she originally wore, she instead had motorcycle boots dawning her feet and her raven colored hair put up in a messy bun.

"Wow," said Gar speechless. "You look..."

"Great?" Rachel chimed in monotonously. Her eyes were somewhat filled with dread, but hindered on her lips was a playful smirk.

"No,"

Her face then turned timid. She didn't mean it do so, she really had thought she looked great, Gar's face then brightened into a grin.

"You look beautiful, Rachel."

"Stop saying things that aren't true."

Gar taken back, gave her the sternest look he could muster.

"Rachel, I am telling the truth."

She didn't say much more after that, even after Gar tried convincing her, she still didn't believe him. Thereupon the door to their room opened revealing two ordinary looking men.

At that moment Rachel hid under the bed as Gar told her to do with a motion of his hands. He was a bit disturbed at their unwanted guess but put on the best mask he could make.

"Sorry to disturb you sir," one of the men said, he was the tallest out of the two and was blond. The other one on the other hand was brown-headed and more sterile. "I'm the owner of this motel and were checking everyone's rooms at the moment 'cause I have gotten a call from someone, telling me an heiress is staying here at this motel that shouldn't be. And I was quite disturbed by the call, but as you see I may abide by that person's advice and search for this... Let's say missing heiress."

"More of a runaway," snarled the dark-haired one.

"Well there's not a runaway here or missing person. So you dudes can leave." However before Gar closed the door they went on past him relentlessly.

"Um dudes," Gar said, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "I wouldn't go there my wife's getting dre—"

"Honey, why didn't you tell me we had guests?" Rachel in a white robe, appeared behind the entryway of the room. Her face was covered with purple jelly and two sliced cucumbers coated her eyes. Gar stifling a laugh replied, "Honey what did I tell you about using the vegetables!" He shouted, he winked at Rachel. "We eat the cucumbers, not use them for..." he motioned what was on her face, "That!"

"Why do you always do this!" Rachel shouted back. The two men looked warily at each other.

"'Cause of that stupid BS on your face!"

"This is not BS!"

"It's a waste of my damn money. That's for sure!"

"Why?!" She cried with crocodile tears. "I love you and you can't seem to take me for me! Why?!"

The blond man interfering stepped between the couple. "Now we will be leaving. If you see any sightings of the heiress please tip the front desk. And, sorry for the inconvenience."

The dark-haired one following after, gave the two both eerie glances and closed the door behind him as he left. Thus at that moment Rachel did an out of character thing, she hopped into Gar's arms and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "Thank you Gar."

"Thank you? I should thank you for thinking up the act, those dudes were really on to us weren't they?" He couldn't keep from grinning. Rachel kissed me!

She nodded in agreement and got down from his arms. "Yeah," looking at his face, she wiped off a swift of purple jelly with her fingertip that was on his cheekbone that came from when she had kissed him on the cheek. Plus sucking the jelly off her thumb she commented, "Mmm... Blackberry."

"Wow, you used blackberry jam?"

"Yes. The cucumbers I brought from the kitchen for just in case," and removing them from both her eyes, "Seems like I needed them." Just as she said that the two men opened the door.

"Why are you so difficult!" Gar screeched shaking his head. "Woman, you're just dumb!"

Rachel covering her face with both hands feigned a sob.

"Um Sir," said the blond awkwardly. "The train station called just awhile ago reminding any passenger whom are staying here of their arrival times."

The dark haired one pulled out a spreadsheet announcing the given times. Jump City was what caught the couple's attention.

"...And Jump City 3:00 pm. That's in 30 minutes."

"Thank you sir. You seem to have a better brain than my wife here," commented Gar looking at Rachel disgustingly, he then added, "Ain't that right?"

"Oh... shut... up..." Rachel said between fake sobs.

"Well, we will be going. I hope you two enjoyed your stay." Therefore the two men left, and this time for good.

—

—

**A/N: R&R. Thanks for the review Jinseiwakurai-Shouganai! C: Thank you so much! Also thanks for the favs and follows (everyone).**

**Also as you could see in the chapter Gar and Rachel were acting. Dinah, Roy, Mia, and Oliver are references in DC universe.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. Never ever ever!**

It Was A Night (5)

They both raced to the train in time and they were quite surprised. A few hours had passed since they've been on the train and everybody seemed to have enjoyed each other these past few days on each ride. Someone having the nerve, decided to bring out their Dean guitar and sing Fleetwood Mac songs much to everyone's dear delight.

"Go Your Own Way!" Gar suggested, the guitarist nodded. While everyone agreed with the song, Rachel on the other hand was busy staring out the window; watching the passing scenic view and it wasn't because she was angry or irritated at Gar. It was something else. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Are you okay Rachel?"

She turned away from the window's view and stared up at Gar. "I don't know," she answered monotonously. "It has come to me that I'm one step away from my father's controllable grasp, for once in my life."

The blonde nodded understandably. "I get you," he said with a sigh. "But shouldn't you be happy about it Rachel? I mean, come on the dude can't control you anymore and here you are sulking."

"I'm not sulking," she said glaring up at him. "You don't even get it. You act like you do, but you don't."

"Wh—Rachel I do get it but you're not even giving me room to explain. Have you even asked me why I left that city we were both bounded to?"

She didn't say anything; considering she didn't even know what else to say. Through most of the train ride, the imbecilic man she had become accustomed to, joined with everyone on all the song's the guitar player strummed.

Thus after awhile the guitarist went towards Gar and Rachel and gave them a look that inquired them both upon which song they wanted him to play next.

"I already had my turn man," said Gar putting his hand to his chest, then pointing to Rachel who sat beside him. "Ask this fine lady here."

The guitarist nodded and looked at Rachel—whom a little perplexed—cleared her throat. "You won't have to do that si—"

The guitarist put his hand up to halt her words, and took out a minuscule yellow notepad from his back pocket. He then wrote something down.

Rachel and Gar gave each other peculiar glances. What's he doing?

The musician then revealed what he had written on the small notepad:

_Joey_.

"Um, what's that?" Gar questioned, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Therefore Rachel just raised her eyebrow in comprehension, she was trying to figure out the musician. She saw he wore a ebony leather jacket.

Stereotypical.

Had green eyes that she couldn't help but think were somewhat dreamy. And blonde hair that closely resembled Gar's except his hair was styled quite the opposite; a bit curled on the sides being the difference.

"I'm guessing Joey's his name," Rachel said taking a quick glance at Gar. "Am I right? Joey's your name."

He smiled and nodded, then writing something else on the notepad: _Now what song?_

She gave him a small grin. "I don't know, Gar can you help me here. Please?"

Gar smiled and nodded. "Sure, fine. Um... Joey what about Tusk?"

_Perfect._

Strumming the first notes on his guitar he got the notion and started off the song. Everyone on the train cheered at the rhythm and before long people were dancing to the beat.

It was quite a sight hence the fact people were getting up from their seats and dancing, even the train conductor—from what he could hear from where he was located on the train—was nodding his head from side-to-side. Everything was going fine.

Gar being the person he was sang along through most of the song, and Rachel herself could agree he was a great singer, and she admired that in him. However she remained content where she was seated, only allowing herself to join in on all the fun until Joey coaxed her into doing so. He told her to dance a little from what she could read on the notepad, and she shook her head. But it wasn't until Gar grabbed her hand and guided her into dancing that she chose to have fun.

"So," he said grinning at her, "who gave you the boots to that dress."

"Wow, aren't you Sherlock," said Rachel sarcastically. "From a woman named Dinah."

"Oh, well they fit you," he complimented.

"They have to, for me to wear them."

"Hey, sarcastic much?"

"Only when I'm prone to."

Gar just shook his head in amusement and the two continued dancing.

—

—

The passengers escalated from the train quickly, however Rachel wasn't one of those passengers. She was too busy in the train helping a woman whom was suffering from dehydration. It wasn't until Joey stopped strumming his guitar for the fun to end, a child in the train car began to scream in agony, and it wasn't until Rachel's sixth sense gave her the hint something was wrong.

Gar on the other hand was comforting the child the best he could with one-liners and jokes of his own he knew would make the child come at ease. Successfully the child went back to his own self and started talking uncontrollably which Gar didn't seem to mind. If all, he was happy for the child hence the fact it seemed to him this child was having a far more better childhood than he did, and that was all that mattered to him.

Thereafter the child was back in his mother's care and Gar was waiting for Rachel, he felt a presence near him and when he turned to look, there was no one there other than Adonis with a mischievous grin dripping from his lips. "I know who your wife is," he contorted. Gar gave him a feigned naïve look; the best feigned one he could do as an aspiring actor. "Okay good for you dude. You've been basically stalking my wife."

Adonis's eyes furrowed a bit giving Gar the indication he wasn't amused nor satisfied by his immature complexity.

"No, I'm not stalking your wife 'Rachel' is it?"

Gar didn't answer, but Adonis continued.

"I know who she is." He took out his phone.

_Didn't he already say that?_

"Here! It says she is the runaway heiress of director Trevor Ryan," and holding his hand up. "She's been spotted in locations such as Central City and Starling City."

Gar looked around the train station and saw it was currently vacant, the thought of hurting Adonis was taking over his mind. _If this dude says one more thing about Rachel, it's on!_ Nonetheless Adonis practically continued rubbing his phone in Gar's face.

"Dude, stop doing that," he said calmly. Adonis smirked. "Or what?"

_That's it!_

When Rachel got off the train car she was interrupted by the fracas coming from within the train station. She went towards the noise and was gobsmacked to see a guy with blonde hair in the fight—that she was pretty sure wasn't Gar. Or was it? She wasn't trying to break up the fight considering she didn't know either opponent and was fatigued from doctoring the lady in the train. Therefore looking for Gar was coding her mind. Although he did seem to annoy her, she really didn't mind the company.

In what was matter of hours the pale girl didn't find the imbecilic flower-child anywhere. When I find him...

"Rachel!" At that moment Rachel felt the nerves of her legs give out.

"Rae, are you alright." She could feel his arms wrapped around her waist. Surprised a bit she stood straight up and nodded. "I'm fine." Then her eyebrows furrowing, she glared at him. "I've been looking for you!" She snarled pushing back from him.

Gar flushed which made her identify his busted lip from what she could see making no further injury was applicable. "What in God almighty happened to you?"

"Nothing," he said pushing the subject aside. "Right now we're on the outskirts of Jump City," patting his pant pocket. "Now if I could find my wallet."

This time Rachel could feel her face doing the flushing, but hiding her emotions she cleared her throat and said, "Well Gar to my generosity, I'm to say I gave the money away,"

"Wh—"

"And the woman needed it—she was a single mother raising one child. It was for good intentions Gar, remember that."

His mouth wide open, he was currently in a state of shock. I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die. "Wh—Rachel you just can't be giving money away, we needed it."

She sighed, gripping the bridge of her noise. "I know that, but like I said, my intentions were good. Now don't go yelling at me."

"Yelling?" Gar scoffed. "My voice is barely above a whisper. That money we needed it."

"Boohoo, no big deal."

"My fucking father has just cut me off, I don't even have a job, and you're saying it's no big deal?"

Nodding her head to the side. "No."

Rachel could see Gar was possibly going to blow up at her. But to her clear vexation he didn't, nope, he remained content and calm.

"Well, there's nothing I can do. We'll just have to walk to the city even though it's a few hours away, I've camped in these woods before. We'll just need to find a clear space."

Rachel fought the urge to complain but held her tongue.

—

—

Thereafter the two left the train station they were now in the woods. Gar of course was used to nature considering he just loved the outdoors while Rachel on the other hand was loathing it to no end—hence the fact she was used to being cooped up inside her room—this was something remotely new to her.

"Now, we'll just have to cross the river we'll be coming up to in a few minutes."

Rachel rolled her eyes. With her arms crossed it gave away her disdain towards his ridiculous idea. She didn't know how to swim and she sure wasn't wanting to learn either. The thought of her crossing the river was scaring her to a certain degree. Drowning being one of them. She was never really out of the house much to learn how to swim, Arella was going to teach her when Rachel had been around ten years old but never did.

Rachel sighed and looked down at her feet as she walked beside Gar. She knew she would have to tell him sooner or later but she was reluctant. And she hated it deeply she was scared of telling a man she didn't take seriously and really didn't know. _Maybe he could use it against me,_ she thought brooding with her hand on her chin. _He could drown me in the lake. _However she didn't believe any of those predictions, not even her subconscious believed those retching prognostications.

She knew inside her heart that Gar wasn't that kind of man.

"Okay here we are," he announced, putting his hands up in the air. "Isn't it lovely? And it's not that deep either. We can just walk across it, no big deal." With that said he stared at Rachel and for a moment he saw deep despair in her eyes. He knew that look from being a volunteer lifeguard at local community swimming pools.

_She doesn't know how to swim. _

Now appearing emotionless Rachel glared at him seeing he was staring continuously at her. "Are you going to continue staring at me, or are we going to cross this river?"

"Ye—yeah," Gar scampered bending down and rolling up his pant legs plus he held his duffel bag tight in his hand. Nonetheless, before stepping into the river he grabbed her hand.

"What are you doing?" She was then startled when he threw her over his shoulder with her purse in her hand. "I'm carrying you across the river, that's what I'm doing." Rachel wanted to protest but why should I? Was what stopped her. He was doing her a huge favor and she knew it, too. Thus that's what Gar Logan did. Clutching his duffel bag in his hand and Rachel thrown over his shoulder, he stomped across the river as if he were a soldier in war.

—

—

"This is our new sleeping quarters?" Rachel inquired as she watched Gar spread some hay over the ground.

The place they were resting at–for the time-being–was like a cave, but instead of the opening of the boulder being pronounced, it was utterly minuscule instead. They could only rest their heads inside the opening while there legs and feet would be outside of the cave covered with the nearby hay Gar founded.

"Yep," he answered. Still standing he took a waft of the nature around him and grinned. "We'll try hitch-hiking later but for now we're resting."

"Well I'm quite hungry," clamored Rachel on a nearby rock. "But I'm going to take a little nap. And don't think you can control me now, you're far far from that." Thus she went over onto the hay, laid down, and closed her eyes.

Gar nodded his head knowingly. But getting the insight she didn't care wether or not he knew to abide not controlling her—considering she was resting. He then decided to find something to eat for her.

But she didn't know that.

—

—

**A/N: Here's the chapter. Short, I know. Please review and comment. Any feedback is welcome! Thanks for the follows and favorites! I'll reply to any review or comment. Also any suggestions?**

**P.S. I'll be sure to edit this fic when it's completed. Do you know who Joey is? (The guitarist)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. DC Comics does, though.**

It Was A Night (6)

"Gar?"

"Gar?"

Rachel was looking frantically around the desolated and vacant area, wildly searching for any sign of Garfield Mark Logan. She was scared—admittedly; considering when she had woken up she realized the flower-child wannabe was nowhere in sight. The snap of a twig made her whimper but when she heard another snap, a scream escaped from her lips she never knew she confined.

"Aah!"

She halted her screaming instantly by covering her mouth with both hands. _Rachel do you hear yourself?! _You're showing how scared you are. The pale girl took a deep breath and as she did so, she heard sudden movement behind from where she was located.

Her face blanched.

...1

...2

...3

She could tell the steps were getting closer and closer to where she was located. Her heart beating nonstop she held her breath for a moment, and standing still she felt something touch her elbow. She then screamed for Gar again.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" His face was flushed; his cheeks rosy and his blonde hair askew, you could have easily saw he had ran in a rapid, quick, and alert fashion at the sound of her scream.

Rachel felt heat rush to her cheeks in modest embarrassment. "Nothing," she said sternly, smoothing out her dress and sitting on a nearby big rock. "Now, where have you been?"

Gar endearing his hair and scrunching it up in his hands sighed in irritation. "I was looking for some food for you. That's what." He sat down and took something out of the pocket of his flannel. "You said you were hungry. So here."

"Fine," said Rachel. Thus sensing his change in attitude she took the food from his hands. "What are these?" She asked reevaluating the minuscule tan bits, seeing they could've possibly been fatal, handing them back to him.

"Normal peanuts," he answered popping one in his mouth. "There was this huge field of them." Putting another one in his mouth. "They're yummy. See, try one Rae." He coaxed her by bringing one up to her mouth. Nonetheless reluctantly the raven haired girl grabbed the peanut from his hand and ate it.

Cocking her head to the side and chewing it for a bit. "Mmh, not bad."

Gar's blonde eyebrows wiggled. "Toldja' so." He then lifted up his bag up from the ground, opened it, and put the rest of the peanuts inside. "This isn't a meal but it'll last. Have you tried calling anyone?"

"I don't have a phone," Rachel deadpanned standing up from the rock, she then went towards a rose bush and plucked a pink rose. "You should know the reason why. Shouldn't you?"

Nodding his head in agreement he then took out his phone. "Signal out here kinda' sucks anyway," walking around the compacted area with his green cased phone held up high, he searched for some kind of connection. "Remind me to switch mobile plans."

_Why would I? _Rachel thought wittingly. Staring at him she reevaluated him again mentally in her mind. Even though she disliked his imbecilic nature and childishness, she couldn't help but feel some sort of admiration for him. His compassion was the one of the things she admired very deeply about him, and the way his eyes would sparkle when he looked at her, she felt the emotion but wasn't sure if it was real or not.

Stop thinking those kinds of thoughts, Rachel. Her subconscious reminded her. _He's nothing and he's probably using you. Ha, he might even turn you in to your father, like he's been planning to all long._

Rachel shook her head and frowned, thus she felt something on her shoulder.

Gar's comforting hand.

"Rae are you alright?"

She looked up at him. Her heart was beginning to beat at an abnormal pace. Staring intently at Gar she could see right through him; his past, his fears, his dreams, everything. And for a moment his mask was about to falter—his happy-go-lucky mask. The way she continued to stare at him almost longingly was starting to nag at his emotions.

"Um Rachel, shouldn't we... Hitchhike? I can't get any signal but this dude I know from high school, his place's near here I think. He could've moved for all I know." Gar turning his gaze away from her and taking his hand off her shoulder, he then checked for a signal again but was unsuccessful.

—

—

"This is possibly dangerous," remarked Rachel, walking beside Gar on the vacant road. Her arms were crossed and the view of an empty bench was becoming appealing to her. The blonde gave her a toothy grin. "It's dangerous, but if the person turns out to be, ya' know..."

"Vile?"

"Yeah that," Gar said. "I'll be sure to whip their gnarly butt."

Rachel smirked. "Doubt it you'll be able to do that."

"What? I will be able to do that. Ha, you just watch and see."

Thus sitting on the bench they waited for any passing car to stop by as Gar—going first—stuck his thumb out in a typical hitchhiker-like fashion. As he did so, he gave Rachel one of his signature cheshire grins.

Oh, great.

"Okay, Rae...

She gave him a stern look, her head resting on her palm, she wasn't quite in the mood to deal with his shenanigans. "It's Rachel."

"Yes, Rachel. As you see now I have my thumb up."

"Okay," she said solemnly. "Good for you."

"No, no I'm trying to show you the art of hitchhiking. Now look and see."

She then looked at him with her arms still crossed.

"See, Rachel it's all in the thumb," wiggling his thumb back in forth. "The thumb is a great signal for stop guarantee but nowadays you realize people are doing it totally wrong. They tend to wiggle it back in forth—like I'm doing now. And those dudes really don't know what they're doing. Plus them waving their thumbs out, like saying 'hello' is stupid. But the darn thumb technique never gets old, just maybe a bit overused, but never ever old.

"Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, in hitchhiking you have three techniques: Number one you move your thumb forward quick. You see here, it says, I'm an independent dude, I know what I want, I'm just lookin' for a ride, ya' don't have to stop, and I could care less if you did stop, but just know I need a ride. I have money!"

"Is this a guide on hitchhiking or whoredom?"

"What!? No, I'm definitely not experienced in that field, and listen to me alright, Rae? I'm not done. Okay, number two is a bit more wide, you have a smile a big cheesy one that says you're on top of the world, and Donna Troy's at home waiting for me. Mm-mh, yeah I said that."

Rachel eyed him weirdly in response to his vulgarity.

"Wow."

"That's not all. Number three is the old joe. You whisk your thumb up and it just says it all, pulling the old bum role; I'm hungry, broke, and homeless,"—tsk—"I'm like everyone else in dear old America, tryin' to make it."

"Your guide deserves an award," said Rachel sarcastically, clapping slowly. "I think I know the art of hitchhiking now. Great, great guide."

"Now to only make it better, add an real exaggerated depressed face expression." Gar's face contorted into melancholy anguish which by all means seemed raw. For a moment, Rachel wanted to hold her hand out to him and lead him to her sanctuary, however, she knew she couldn't. If she never experienced real happiness on her own, how could she do the same for him?

Seconds later his face turned back to happy-go-lucky.

"Now, for proof to see if my guide works—which it does by the way—here it goes."

Trying number one, a car whisked by quickly not even slowing down.

"Okay here goes number two." Gesturing his thumb in a wider motion, a big smile then formed on his face. And hope the next car would stop to give the two a ride, the hope then dwindled as two more cars whizzed by.

Rachel wasn't convinced, but watching Gar use number three an idea had then crossed her mind.

The same for the other two, number three hadn't work. So Gar defeated, tried all three gestures again without any luck. He then sat back down beside Rachel whom stood up. "Let me try something." Gar cocking his eyebrow to the side watched as she went to where he had stood; lifting her dress up a little she showed her leg and a hint of her black panties which left the blonde gobsmacked. What the? He was incredulous how classy could Rachel could be, even when doing this.

At that moment, a car stopped. The car seemed to be a red dodge truck. Gar stepping along towards the vehicle glanced at Rachel who was smirking at her intuition.

She walked right past him.

"Rae—dude. What was that?! You could've taken off all your clothes, for all I care. You probably could've stopped five-jillion cars. "

The pale girl turned around with both hands on her hips.

"Tell me that, Gar, when we need five-jillion cars."

He smiled gleefully and shook his head. She sure is somethin.'

—

—

"Where y'all guys from?" asked the man.

Gar and Rachel were sitting in the front with the man whom was quite friendly considering the dodge truck had no back seats. Therefore he wore a red and white sports cap, had a an accent from some city in the far south, and wore a black leather jacket similar to the one Joey—the guitarist on the train— had wore. The man was eating a bag of potato chips and Rachel quite disturbed by his loud chewing, was tempted to pull a chip out of the bag and eat it (she was still hungry), however she resisted the urge.

"We're from Gotham," Gar replied nonchalantly with his arm placed about on the headrest.

"Ole' Gotham, huh?" The man rubbed his nose and put another potato chip in his mouth. Chomping rather loudly, Rachel rolled her eyes turning her view towards the window.

"Yep and we'll be needin' a ride to Jump City."

The man nodded. "I've been to Gotham, full of ole' looneys and snobs. Y'all ain't looney or snobs are ya'?"

"No sir, we're not." Gar sitting beside the man could tell he was somewhat convinced they were Gotham natives.

"Ya'll bunch sure don't seem like you're from ole' Gotham. Maybe, Central City?" The man eyed them both suspiciously. "Cause you guys don't seem uptight like a person from Gotham would seem to be."

"Sir I'm pretty sure we know where we came from," said Gar a bit sternly. "All we need is a ride to Jump City and that's it." _The dude's acting like we're asking him to be our getaway driver._

Albeit the drive to the nearest gas station was tense with the man asking them all sorts of question, Gar surely was glad when they stopped at a gas station. He was going to see if Victor Stone still had the same address so he and Rachel could spend a night for at least a day until they both got settled into doing what they had planned to do individually. _I wonder if he's still married to Karen._

Other while he was doing that, Rachel was sitting on a bench taking down her messy bun and letting her hair down. It wasn't really hot outside and she felt as if she needed to have her hair down. She was missing feeling the form of her haircut; being her hair touching midway of her pale cheeks. She had seen the man go inside the gas station—gladly. And waiting for the hippy to be done making his phone call, she started reciting Edgar Allan Poe poems inside her mind to keep her entertained.

"Okay man, bye see ya' later." Gar putting the pay phone back on it's hook, stretched his limbs, the sequences of location made him very fatigued. Therefore, he was glad to find out Vic and Karen had the same address and gladly offered him to stay at their place considering he was in town. However, he didn't tell them about Rachel, and he knew if he did, it would risk everything.

"We're staying at Vic's house," announced Gar to Rachel, sitting beside her on the bench. "It's better than staying at Richard's, I'll tell ya' that."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing Richard's a bad person,"

"Nah, probably just suffering a mild case of OC—"

Right at that moment they saw a red dodge truck past by.

—

—

**A/N: Another short chapter, my apologies. I'm using the typical school excuse and I have been suffering a mild case of writer's block. This, I must say, isn't my best chapter. So I hope to make the next chapter longer and much better. Also who's the man driving the red dodge truck? Who's Vic and Karen!**

**P.S. The old film this fic is based on: It Happened One Night directed by wFrank Capra with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert is coming on tonight at six o'clock. I suggest you to catch it fast if you can. The film will be on TCM. Also I think watching the film will give you more understanding of the fic.**

**BurntTitan: Joey is Jericho! You were correct! Anyway thanks for reviewing and yes it's awesome when the Titans are being put into alternate dimensions or AU. I think it gives people more ideas and broader imagination in AU.**

**dg25taz: Thank you! You'll have too wait and see C:**

**Raven456: You're correct! *throws confetti into the air* thanks for the review.**

**Therefore, thanks for the follows and faves. Means so much!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own the teen titans. Never ever ever.**

It Was A Night (7)

Gar ran after the tattered red dodge truck and Rachel sat there watching. They were both baffled on how the man slyly got into his truck and drove away. They didn't see him get inside his truck, thus they knew the man had been planning this all along; picking up two innocent civilians and stealing their belongings. Rachel's purse was left inside the truck while Gar's duffel was left in there as well.

Sitting there for quite sometime, Rachel waited for Gar and by doing that she then decided on taking a little walk. She needed some space and she doubted the blonde would be back with their belongings. She doubted a lot of things about him, really. But she knew somehow he always did find a way to surprise her.

Therefore wiping a piece of lint off the sleeve of her dress, she heard the roaring engine of a vehicle. Turning around she saw the red dodge truck make its way down the paved road, stopping beside her, she quickly got in and was glad to see Gar had successfully retrieved the truck with their belongings at hand. However she could see he had a small scratch below the side of his jaw.

"Are you okay?" She inquired, making sure her voice didn't give away the deep concern she felt for him.

He shrugged but putting on his coverup; being his toothy grin he turned his eyes away from the road for a second and stared at her. "Yeah, I'm alright. I had to knock that country dude out, though." Lifting up his arm, it showed two teeth marks edged on the side of his arm. Rachel wanted to gasp, but holding it in she frowned.

He then began to tell her what had happened.

"After reaching the truck I opened the driver's door and yanked the fool out of his seat, and then we started rollin' like some loonies, and him getting the first right hook I punched him right on the nose. And out of nowhere the old dude bites me on my arm. I nearly screamed. Then I kicked him, he passed out, I hopped into the truck—thanking God that the keys were still in there—I then made my way back to you." He glanced at her once more as he said the last part.

Rachel realizing she was holding her breath, let it out slowly and prematurely. "Wow," she responded not out of spite. "He bit you?"

He chuckled and nodded his head. "Yep."

After a moment of silence, she inched closer towards him. Plus grabbing her purse off the dash she fished out a small first aid kit. "Here, I need to fix that scratch on the edge of your jaw, or it's gonna scar."

Gar shook his head. "You don't need to do th—"

"I am," interrupted Rachel. "And I wanna help. You've done too much already, Gar. Let me do this one thing." She then rolled her eyes and applied some salve on the scratch, and getting out tan-looking fabric, she wrapped the tan bandage around his man-bitten arm leaving him with one hand on the wheel.

"Really Rae you didn't have to do th—"

"Shut up," she said sternly, a small smile adjourning her features. "If you say that one more time, you'll just have another arm for me to wrap up."

"Fine," he said. "Just no one's ever fixed my scars or owies before, that's all." Rachel surely didn't take what he had just said seriously but she did. If all, she could've said the same for him. He had helped her a lot and she never thought anyone would piggy back her across the water, give her a ticket when she had lost hers, fix her breakfast and buy her a dress etc... She was utterly flattered

Thereafter she was done being doctor she simply smiled again. "Are we going to be wanted for stealing this man's truck?"

He shrugged."I dunno, he probably won't remember anything when he wakes up."

Rachel nodded and turned her head towards the window. She felt serene, blissful, and secure for once since being on this trip.

—

—

"So you're telling me, that this Garfield only left a message and didn't call back?" The DC News executive was perplexed for when he had entered his office, a tan sunburnt man with gray-white hair was sitting in his chair, drinking a cup of water. The executive knew who this man was; the famous director Trevor Ryan Roth.

The executive putting the papers he held in his hand down on the dark oak desk, he cleared his throat. "Yes sir, I am telling you Garfield didn't return our call. The only way we know who he is, reason being, he subscribes to us. However I'm afraid he doesn't anymore."

Trevor Ryan Roth took another sip of the cold glass of water, and smoothing his gray suit out a little, he then got up from the executive's chair and started walking slowly around the room taking, his time examining each piece of artwork on the walls in the spacious organized office. "You're a fan of Picasso?"

The executive nodded quickly, showing how nervous he felt. "Yes-s s-sir, I'm a big fan of his artwork. My favorite painting would have to b-be t-the Weeping Woman."

Trevor Ryan raised an eyebrow. Chuckling, he turned around and glanced at the executive."I know that painting, seen it in person. I favor it as well. Reminds me of my late ex-wife."

Not knowing what to say, the executive nervously sat down in another chair instead of the big brown leather chair behind his desk, that had been occupied by Trevor Ryan. He was afraid the director would bite his head off even if he attempted to sit there, although Trevor Ryan wasn't sitting in the chair at this moment, he wasn't going to risk it.

"Now you're telling me, the person whom possibly knows where my daughter may be, has unsubscribed and now there's no possible way to possibly locate him?"

"Y-yes."

Trevor Ryan turning towards the desk and picking up the glass of water clenched it feverishly in his thick hand taking another minuscule sip.

"Sir, we tried tracking the guy down—illegally I must say. He might be somewhere where connection isn't the wis—"

"YOU EITHER KNOW WHERE HE IS, OR YOU DON'T. IF YOU'RE LYING-TO-ME. I WILL GET YOU FIRED AND BANISHED FROM GETTING ANY OTHER WORK HERE ON THIS PLANET EARTH." The director clenched the executive by the shirt, lifting him up from the chair, and looked him menacingly in the eyes; the frail man shriveled under the able-bodied man's grasp. He was utterly sure he was going to pass out sooner or later.

"O-okay sir, w-we'll try t-the best way to locate him."

Setting the man down, Trevor Ryan was proud of himself. He then smirked and before leaving the room he told the executive one last thing. "And I want to see this Garfield Logan in the flesh."

—

—

"Tell me about Vic," Rachel said, and she couldn't help but realize shockingly she was encouraging a conversation. Gar smiling ear-to-ear nodded his head excitingly. "Sure."

Putting his hand on his chin—other hand still on the steering wheel—he was looking where to begin. "Well Vic's a really awesome dude, he's really good in all that techno stuff. He could fix a computer, TV, gaming system, you name it, in a heartbeat. Um... He likes—no, scratch that—he loves," Gar grimaced, "meat. He loves eating animals and putting them inside his body. Maybe that's why he's big and buff."

Rachel cocked an eyebrow. "Gar,"

"Yeah?"

"Would you say all meat lovers, or more generally people who eat meat. Are well, let me see; big and buff?"

"..."

"Gar, I eat meat."

The blonde's eyes widened.

"No, that's not what I meant. What I meant was, they're good lookin', no, their cool, yeah meat lovers are cool, aah I don't kn—"

Shaking her head, Rachel then prodded him to continue on about Vic. His face flushed a little, Gar nodded and continued. "Well in high school he was really good at football, I wasn't and I only joined to really just become popular but that didn't really work out well for me. Anyway, Vic and I became buddies in high school and while he was known for being the quarterback, I was known for being the class clown with the weird dyed bright green hair, and people really didn't think those types of people could be friends. Plus, we both liked video games and so we became each other's wingman.

"Anyway, Vic sure did help me a lot with bullies, getting me dates—'cause ya' know, he was popular—and being there whenever Steve and I had a misunderstanding. He's just been there for me, ya' know. We're like brothers."

Rachel could feel the rapid beating of her heart. The look on Gar's face made her feel splendid, he reminded her so much of a shrimp. Not because of his scrawny figure or his big blue eyes, but because he thought with his heart instead of what other's thought(a shrimp's heart is in it's head.) And she heard someone once say, "Not much people think with their heart." At least not in this day in age she wanted to reply. However how could she say that when there was this magnificent human being right beside her, proving her wrong?

"...she in prison or something?"

Caught off guard for a moment, Rachel hadn't even realized he was talking to her. Straightening herself up and clearing her throat. "Excuse me?"

"So, what about you? You still haven't told me the condition your mother has or where she's checked in at? Is she in prison or something, or something like that? 'Cause I don't think it's bad if your mom's like th—"

As he stumbled with his words, almost losing focus on the road. Rachel then told him to shut up in the most mature and calmest manner she could muster.

"Gar,"

"Huh?"

"Be quiet."

"Okay."

Silence then filled the truck up for a moment, then by Rachel breaking the silence. "My mother Arella suffers the mental disorder schizophrenia and suffers a mild case of a bipolar affective disorder. She's been checked into a mental institution near Gotham, but it's not Arkham. No, no, not Arkham. Ever since I was young I never really ever saw my mother. The only way I saw her was I had carried a picture of her but my father ended up taking it away from me, and that's just what he did with Arella.

Therefore Rachel turned and stared out the window once again, and continued. She knew telling this story was going to take a lot of emotion out of her.

"The picture of her was beautiful; her dark ringlets curving her face, and her dark lovely eyes that I harbor. She resembled a silent film star and the things she wore were dated;lace dresses, pearls, velvet pointed flat shoes, dark red lipstick. And maybe those things were what caught my father's eye. Although I dislike my father, he knows a rare gem when he sees one. So considering my mother's unique look, he took her in and casted her one of his known films: The Prophecy. The film went on to win an abundance of accolades and my mother grew to be a star.

"My father grew to be a famous director as well but not like Arella. He still did cast her as the leading lady in many of his other films such as; The Raven (based off of Edgar Allen Poe's known poem), She Who Seeks Silence, The Ghosts Far Beyond, Rivet Laces, all of those known films. But other directors wanted my mother in their films, too. So Arella deciding on branching out a little, she starred in another film but this time not directed by Trevor, she won an oscar and her only oscar on this film; Sweet As Can Be. She played a distressed damsel but with spitfire and the audiences loved it, reason being it was a role outside of the typical roles she played; beauty and the beast type of character roles.

"Thereupon as my mother starred in less of my father's films, the less famous my father had become. Therefore my father made a plan, a plan to end her contract, her fame, her notoriety. He knew all along Arella was smitten by him, and I supposed he loved her as well, so he coaxed her into marrying him and they got married in a church in a lavish top-notch ceremony. It was broadcasted live everywhere and now my father was known mostly as the beau of Arella Roth. Ergo when my mother eventually became pregnant with me, Trevor had convinced her it was best not to act or promote during her stages of pregnancy, fearing miscarriage. So she took a maternity leave on acting, her fans and agents didn't know that though. And since her fans and agents didn't know, they thought she had dropped Hollywood.

"Nine months later I was born, and soon my mother worked her whims with acting again. However, she couldn't find any roles. It's as if somehow she turned down all these roles, but she didn't. Nope she hadn't even spoken to her agents of Azarath Studios in eons. Quite perplexed now, my mother called Azareth Studios and they told her she sent them a letter on many reasons why she was retiring from acting. Thus they cancelled and turned down all her offered roles, fan ceremonies, interviews, everything. Plus she grew angry at this total revelation she went to Azareth Studios with my father at tow. She confronted them and figuring out my father had everything to do with this, sending the fraudulent letter to the studio, she started acting out. Later she was charged with vandalizing the studio and charged with assault by having had attack my father physically.

"Five days later my mother had went missing and that's when she grew unstable. She was found by the side of lake by an elderly woman who lived near there, she said Arella was saying things like, 'feed the fish, save the fish from drowning.' And that's when the old woman had called the police. Not many days later was my mom hinted at doing prescription drugs, excessive drinking, gambling, and partying, the tabloids started calling her the whirlwind of distress. She came home each night awfully late and boozed up. And that's when my father brought Hollywood and the law into everything she did. They both fought for my custody, money, the rights of the films, she had starred in and he had directed.

"Soon my father begun to win everything, he took everything from Arella her fame, money, agents, rights, and even me." Rachel cleared throat to keep her voice from cracking under pressure. "My mother felt lonely then and there, she started getting plastic surgery, only got roles in c-films that anyone could've gave any crap about, and then she grew what the public called even more crazy. And the more crazy my mother got, the more fame and recognition my father received, he started getting everything back, he won two oscars that year and it was as if he were on top of the world. My mother on the other hand wasn't. The tabloids stopped hearing about her after she attempted to strangle herself in my room while I was asleep in my crib (I was still only 11 1/2 months old) with a blanket she had gotten for me.

"She somehow snuck into my room while Trevor was sleeping, grabbed my blanket, and wrapped it around her neck. Thus they always theorize she was going to the bathroom to drown herself in the bathtub, but the reasons are never vivid enough. Anyway soon after that, she was checked into a mental ward. Any memories of my mother during those months while I were still an infant are indecipherable. Sometimes I think I can remember her smile when she had first held me in her arms." Rachel then wiped her nose with the sleeve of her dress, and stared down at her sweaty fingers. "It sometimes pains me to know my father won, he won, he beat her, he won the race, he got what he wanted. I've only seen my mother two times during my lifetime, when I was 7 and 10, but it was only for minuscule amounts of time ."

Gar speechless for a moment, saw how Rachel remained content, but he could see how her telling him all this was emotionally painful. He didn't mean to leave her emotions unstable. Putting the truck into park on the side of the road, he then turned towards Rachel and stared at her; a pale stiffened lonely girl, who's trying not break under emotional distress.

Holding his arms out. "Ra—"

She turned and went into his arms, salty tears mingled her face, and the fresh smell of old spice lingered in her noise.

If you we're to past a red dodge truck, and see inside the truck, two people hugging; a boy and a girl. You would've smiled my friend. Reason being, they were now something to each other than escapee partners, being partners of solace instead.

—

—

**A/N: Hope the chapter wasn't too long. And maybe the chapter was a bit gloomy and sad. Plus if you're wondering how Rachel knows all of this, it is through many connections of what she's heard in the past related to her mother's past and whereabouts, Rachel had seek a truth and found it and has connected all the pieces. Anyway, you all should know who Arella is, duh! Gar is going to reveal his past in either the next chapter or the chapter after the next, just depends. I'm soon going to end this story, not yet though.**

**P.S. I'll revise and edit everything when I'm done, and please check out my buddies: DG and Reed stories: A Couple Mistakes (DG) and Sunglasses At Night (Reed). They're the coolest. A couple mistakes and this story kind of have the same ideas just a little, don't worry no copying each other or anything, we just exchange ideas from one another.**

**JasonVUK: Thanks for reviewing. You got all the Easter eggs and cameos correct, maybe Gar did beat up Adonis. And yes, the man is Ding Dong Daddy (I just won't mention his name in the story, as you can see.) Anyway, thank you so much for reviewing!**

**Thanks for favs and follows as well everyone. Please review and tell me what ya' think!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. DC Comics does. Just sayin'...**

It Was A Night (8)

The time was around eight o'clock at night when the two arrived at Vic and Karen's house; a two story brick layered house with French doors and lavish windows. Rachel admired the house, considering the house wasn't as big as her father's pricey mansion, but instead somehow she could see this house had more of a home feel to it. Getting out the truck with her purse at hand, she waited for Gar as he grabbed his duffel bag from the back of the truck, following him, she then watched as he pounded his fist lightly against the dark green painted door. Sniffing the air for a moment, she smelt the scent of burning charcoal.

"Hey my man!" An able-bodied African American appeared, greeting Gar enthusiastically. He wore a blue apron over his clothes titled: I love meat! With a little cartoon steak printed underneath the lettering. She could already tell this was Victor. Giving Gar a big hug, his charcoal eyes then landed on Rachel.

"This is... Raven my fiancée!" Gar introduced her, grabbing her hand he then intertwined his fingers within hers. Rachel caught off guard, gave him a warning glance but seeing it was no use, she then played along unwillingly. "Yes, you can call me Raven." Victor looked from Gar to her in a mawkish fashion, a big smile on his face. "Ya'll engaged?"

"Sure," deadpanned Rachel although it was tempting to deny the accusation but before Gar could say anything she then replied further, "yes-s, we're engaged." _Unbelievable_, she thought grindingly.

Therefore Victor hugged her. Naturally she would've kneed him in the groin, but she didn't, his hug was quite comforting—but not as comforting as the one Gar had given her when she had broken down in the truck. Victor's hug on the other hand was not entirely different, she felt familiarity. "Welcome to the family." He then guided them both inside the house.

Rachel observing the interior of the house, saw that there were pictures of collages hung on the navy blue walls everywhere; in the living room, dining room, and in the kitchen.

From what she hadn't seen yet, in the living room there was a black L-shaped couch in the center with two arm chairs placed in front of a high-definition flat screened TV, where a game device and two hand consoles laid. The floors were a dark oak wood waxed and shiny. Ergo near the staircase was the dining room with a elongated black modern table with six modern chairs. The living room and dining room had a white-opaque carpet, while the kitchen had a nice burgundy stone tiled on the floors matching the counters.

"Cy is Gar here yet?!" a feminine voice shouted from the kitchen.

Victor gave them both looks and smiled. "Yeah Bee, but you gotta see for yourself."

"What? Cy, just tell me if he's here yet or not. 'Cause I'm almost done getting the sides and drinks ready."

Therefore an African American woman appeared. She had her black coarse hair braided into kinky twists, she wore red lipstick equivalent to a lobster's outer shell, and dawned a simplistic orange day dress. Rachel found her outfit quite chic. The woman looked from Gar to her. "Nun-uh, " she commented with a big smile dripping from her scarlet lips, inching towards Gar. "You finally got yourself settled, see I told you sparky he wasn't gonna come this time alone. You can call me Karen honey, now what's your name?" She then waited for Rachel's response.

A bit stiffly Rachel replied. "You can call me Raven."

"Can I see the ring?" Karen waited as Rachel fidgeted for a moment. "We're still looking for the right engagement ring."

"Yeah," Gar intervened, chucking nervously. Then rubbing the back of his neck, moist with sweat. "I want her to have the perfect ring. "

"Oh, okay. I know how you can be Gar when it comes to buying expensive things, don't we?" Karen commented, both hands put upon her hips, and a knowing smile now plastered on her lips.

"That was only one time!"

"Yeah and you somehow forgot the credit card!"

Victor pulling Rachel away from the two friends potential bickering, took her to the backyard. Which consisted of a moderate sized pool with a slide, two outdoor dining tables, one wooden picnic table, a masters grill, and a small mini bar.

"Those two always get into it around about this time," he commented blissfully, lifting the lid off the grill, then flipping two T-bone marbles steaks with a silver spatula. "Yeah, meat almost done. Now Raven tell me about ya' self."

The pale girl sat down on the picnic table. She didn't trust Vic enough to tell him her life story, but she could still share with him her dislikes and interests. After all, Vic did say welcome to the family, right? However her and Gar did put themselves into an hoax engagement out of the clear blue, so maybe she wasn't really welcomed into the family after all.

Thereafter Rachel was done telling him about herself, the two then went back inside both carrying high-stacked trays of meat. When they had entered the kitchen, in the other room Karen was setting the table with Gar being a helping hand.

"The meat's done, great. "Karen putting the last set of silverware down on the table, went inside the kitchen. Vic was voicing out the different types of meat laid out on the counter."We have steaks, brisket, baby-back ribs, hamburgers, and—for Gar—his stinky nasty sans-meat."

"Hey! I heard that." Gar vociferated from the dining room. Vic rolling his eyes, finished setting the meat down and announced that everyone should go and wash-up.

—

—

It wasn't a bad dinner. Questions were asked and answered somewhat, vaguely and decipherable. The guests were comfortable and the hosts were a bit skeptical of Raven but they put that behind their minds.

—

—

Gar stood outside alone in the evening.

He didn't care much about talking right now. He just needed to think for a moment. Although he hadn't acted any different today than he had acted yesterday he was an aspiring actor so of course he was terrific at covering things up. Then, he thought irritably, why does it still hurt? Today was an anniversary, and for all he cared it could've been the anniversary of someone's death, that he had truly loved. But it wasn't that. No, it wasn't that.

"Tara," he whispered sullenly under his breath. She was the intermediate cause of his still recovering broken heart. The divorce had left him penniless and feeble. It had been utterly bad to the point Garfield Mark Logan once contemplated suicide. A word he hated to think about and something he knew wouldn't 100-percent put him into paradise. "I still love her and I called her, and you know what—"

"What?"

Rachel appeared behind him. After she was done helping Karen with the dishes she was baffled and concluded Garfield was nowhere to be found. She had looked everywhere for him; to and fro, and to her astonishment he was out here during Twilight. "Nothing," Gar replied with a finishing sigh. He was surprised Rachel had found him but he didn't show it, the desperate need in his heart for Tara was overpowering all of his other actions, and surely this spoiled heiress wasn't going to be any help.

What do you want?" He inquired grumpily not even bothering to hide his defeat. _Tara._

"Are you okay?" Rachel didn't like it when people asked her that obvious question when she felt obtrusive. Of course he wasn't okay if she was asking if he was okay. But she felt she needed to substantiate the obvious regardless of how she represented herself.

He didn't say anything. His back was facing her and she still stood a few feet from behind him. Thus she remained where she was. "Gar, I know you're not doing okay. I was looking for you."

"Thanks for the lovely compassion," he retorted sarcastically, asking himself mentally, _am I going to put my heart on a sleeve? _He decided he wasn't going to exactly. "And no, you didn't have to go looking for me. You could've just let me be. But I guess you can stay out here if you want, but I'm not encouraging you to."

She swallowed. "I'm staying and if you want to talk we can talk." He didn't say anything else, and for the amounts of minutes they had stayed out there, Rachel could've just been invisible to him, but whether she knew this or not, she was the only thing that was keeping him afloat.

The only thing.

However she found it perverse that Gar's mood had totally shifted. Today she saw he had acted quite cheerful and ecstatic and now here he was broody and insufficient as if he were somehow the sunny sky that had turned into a bed of turbulent gray-silver clouds. His features weren't adjourned with that happy-go-lucky smile of his she had grown accustomed to, and telling from all that, she now knew he had covered up his emotions all through this trip.

Frustrated she held her tongue the best she could. All along she thought she had him figured out. _He's imbecilic, irresponsible, annoying, fickle, smite with life, and too cheerful._ However those things she figured out about him maybe were a little true, but not entirely. He was something more—maybe even entirely different. "Gar, who's Tara?"

"Nobody," he answered.

"Nobody," she mimicked monotonously. "Gar she must be someone you've once cared about." She then paused and rephrased her sentence. "Or maybe someone you continue to care about and love till this very day."

How does she know? Gar thought, his head was in his hands. Blond strands of stringy hair dry and experienced. Even though he looked drunk, he hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol. He never drank. _But Tara did,_ he thought. _She loved her cocktails and those weekend tequila shots. _He knew she was a mess, pitiful. Oh, but how he had loved her and how he still did love her, or at least he thought so.

"I'm going back inside." And he did just that. He walked right on pass Rachel feeling fatigued, he wanted this day to end, and going to sleep sooner would help a lot, and he knew it, too.

—

—

**A/N: R & R! My bad for the long wait. **

**JasonVUK: Thank you for commenting! Yes Arella's story is so sad, and Trevor is such a horrible person.**

**dj25taz: Thank you! Yes, Rachel finally has let go some and she's growing a bit more closer to Gar.**

**Also, thanks for the faves and follows. Really is appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, why I'll tell you who owns them. Well... DC Comics does.**

It Was A Night (9)

Rachel was utterly gobsmacked as she watched Gar walk on pass her. And most ultimately she felt as if she were a piece of gum stuck on the bottom of someone else's shoe. "Gar," she deadpanned, although loudly. "Letting go isn't particularly a bad thing."

Gar stopped before he twisted the door knob. "It's not like that Rae, you should know that." _Ouch_, Rachel thought, miserably. "What's your problem, Gar? I'm just trying to help."

He sighed. "I don't need any help, but thanks."

She could feel her blood boiling. Why won't he accept help when he needs it? Before she could even say anything else, he had already went inside. She already knew Vic and Karen had went to bed. They were both early larks, her being the polar opposite, she was a night-owl. It seemed to her Gar was a night-owl as well, knowing someone with such personality couldn't have been an early bird . And here she knew he was going to bed early just to forget everything. She was very aware on how he felt. When she was little, every time when she would go to bed alone in the house when her father would leave her alone in that dark mansion to go and film a movie, she would go to bed before twilight just to forget everything; her nightmares and every single bad thing that had happened in life.

After getting out of her clothes and into her pyjamas, she decided to use a blanket she picked up from the wacko motel her and Gar had stayed at. It was the walls of Jericho. Which meant she would hang the blanket up forming a sort of barrier between her and the flower-child wannabe, she would have one side of the guest room to herself, leaving one side to the room to him. The room didn't have a queen or king sized bed which meant they wouldn't have to share, thankfully the room had two twin-sized beds. Nonetheless, she took out the book she had been reading on the train. She read from where she had left off. It would pass time quickly, hence the fact Gar was taking a long shower. Maybe to clear his thoughts, she then turned the page of her book. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

In honest truth she felt as if the protagonist Scarlett O'hara was too difficult. Loving a man who officially wouldn't give her the time of the day, and here this rough-all-over Rhett Butler who does give her the time of day, who does love her, who she thinks she doesn't love. She felt as if Scarlett O'hara lived in her own fantasy world and maybe wasn't coming-of-age as she ought to. Melanie, she thought, reminded her of Kory the one that had given her the suitcase. Filled with grace and heartfelt kindness, that only a saint could harbor. Then there was Ashley a guy she had once admittedly fallen for—an unrequited crush. Now he was with, and madly in love, with her best friend Kory, not that she was mad. Time has passed sense then, and she's happy now that they're together and she's moved on. But then again, who was Rhett and Scarlett?

Before she could continue to think again, a fresh Gar entered the room. He was in his PJs and though he was fresh and relieved from the shower, the look on his face could tell you otherwise. He looked 10X his age, as if he stepped out of a time warp. Something must've been eating him real bad, and then suddenly he did a thing Rachel thought he would never do in front of her.

He laid spread out on the floor on his stomach, and began to cry. It was a strange sight. It could've been strange to Rachel, of course, considering she never saw a man cry before. She never had seen her father Trevor Ryan Roth cry before, not that it mattered anyway. She knew it would be a snowball in hell to ever see him cry.

Thus as she sat there silently continuing to read her book, she let Gar cry. His sobs were at a moderate volume barely even reaching the walls but she could still feel the emotions; heartbreak and longing. Plus even Rachel had the urge to cry. Remember you've already let go. But was it enough? As she let him cry until he had let it all out, he then went and laid down on his bed. She could hear his hiccoughing, thereafter he was done. He then began to speak, his back facing her again (not that she knew, considering the walks of Jericho were blocking their view of each other.)

"Have you ever been in love, Rachel?"

"No."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

"Sure you have, you just won't tell me."

Rachel sighed and gave in.

"Yeah, I've been in love before. However, I don't love him anymore. Done?"

"No,"

"..."

"Have you ever been heartbroken?"

"Sure."

"..."

"Gar, are you heartbroken?"

He didn't answer right away, then after a moment, he did.

"Her name was Tara, we're divorced now," he now admitted stoically while staring at the ceiling. "She took all my money, 'cause she's an alcoholic. Today was our wedding anniversary and I called her when you were helping Karen with the dishes. When she had answered, she told me she never did love me during the time we were together, and now she's in rehab. Then she told me she had five more days to go, and that Slade—the guy she's married to now—is a better guy than I could ever be."

"Don't believe her Gar, she's lying. She just resents you."

"She doesn't resent me. See, I love her and after all this time I just saw her as this perfect faultless girl and now I have no idea what to think of her now. Maybe she was too, like me, but maybe not. 'Cause I would never do all those horrible things she ever did to me when we were married. Like taking all my of money from my trust funds, and the money my parent's had left me before they had died. She was just so ruthless, but I was just so in love with her I was too blind to see it. Another excuse could've been we we're both young, both 18 and I guess in love. I had really thought things were going good for us, then out of the clear blue she just decided to file for divorce. She took everything and I was left with nothing."

Rachel didn't know what to say. Another surprising thing she found out about Gar—he was divorced before he was even the legal age to drink alcohol. A small smile lingered on her lips for a second before Gar began to speak again.

"I just want a girl who I guess balances me out, tells me what I shouldn't do but in a way that sorta' lifts me up. She isn't exactly like me and we have differences but we just balance each other out, I guess. I don't care who she is, if she's creepy, nerdy, or just weird. I don't care. As long as she just doesn't try to use me or take advantage of me. 'Cause I'm telling you, her and I would be on top of this world, amongst the stars where nothing else matters except me and her, where nothing could touch us. 'Cause whatever thing that would try to destroy us and tear us apart would be defeated by our love for each other."

"..."

"I know, it sounds corny. But I guess when you want something so bad you can't help but be typica—"

Rachel quickly raced to the other side of "the walls of Jericho" kneeling beside Gar's bed, the blond man looked at her peculiarly as if she'd grown two heads wondering what she was doing. "Gar, I'm willing to go on top of the world... With you... Amongst the stars."

It took much of her heart to be able to say those words. Not because they weren't true, the reason being she felt something she had never felt before as she did say those words. The words were indescribable and did cover much of her heart, unbeknownst to the purgatorial pale girl kneeling beside the sad once happy-go-lucky guy she came to know. He helped her through this trip, carrying her across the water when he knew she couldn't swim, buying her that terrific expensive dress, defending her from that one guy named Adonis and that other guy named Wally, searching for food while they had stayed in that eerie forest, and letting her stay with him when he knew she would be scared to be alone in this horrid world too big for someone like her, who had basically been through Halifax just to find enough courage to runaway from her evil father and his evil mansion.

Thus as his blue eyes looked into hers and some sort of hope bloomed into them. He couldn't figure it out, he was pretty sure their faces were drawing closer together but he turned away before they could even contradict what was beginning to happen. _I was gonna kiss her, _he thought and cogitated how different and weird he had felt that he regretted not kissing her. Rachel on the other hand was feeling desolated as if she were disappointed he drew back and didn't want to kiss her. _But he wanted to kiss me,_ she thought and that made her feel dirty. She was glad he went on this trip with her but she ignored the connection. And going back to her bed and laying down, she felt that things between her and Gar maybe were becoming inappropriate. After all it was just the sorrow getting to the both of them.

Rachel he just helped you through this trip, stop thinking these ambiguous things about a heartbroken dweeb, you don't love him. "Azareth... Mentrion... Zinthos..." she quietly chanted to herself unable for Gar to hear. It was a mantra she used to chant a lot when she was a teenager. One day when her father wasn't home she had snuck quietly into his room and found a big thick book, it didn't have a title and being curious, she opened it up and the book was consumed with intent psychological pointers, and that was how she had ended up finding the mantra quoting it quietly to herself, endless nights of depression she had suffered. By now that she was in her early 20s she didn't have to chant the calming mantra quite as much as she had done in the past, but when push came to shove it was her only harness. Thereafter quoting the mantra over and over again, quietly to herself, she then quietly went to sleep with feelings of regret and a little hope for tomorrow.

Furthermore Gar laid restless. He was thinking much about Rachel and how much he had came to know her. He saw her as this beautiful detached girl that since then has grown to be something more through this trip. She had seen him cry and she just let him cry those pitiful tears he had been holding in for so long. Plus he favored how she didn't make-fun of him for crying, and he liked that he didn't have to say anything for her to understand why he was crying. Also he liked how she would be willing go on top of the world with him underneath the stars, and he was aware it took something in her heart to say those words. But she's playing with your heart, dude. Just like Tara did to you. Are you sure you wanna make the same mistake again?

He shook his head, disagreeing with his conscience. So be it, he defended. I'm willing to risk it all again for Rachel. Then hitting himself in the head. Was he falling for Rachel, the runaway heiress? I am, I know I am. The way she had called for him when they both were in the woods, when he was searching for food because she was hungry. How she had went along with him on the acting they had to do for those two men that were apparently looking for her. And didn't I save her life mostly throughout this trip? He nodded. Yeah, he was willing to do anything for this woman even giving up his own life.

Thus rapidly jumping up from the bed, he quickly got dressed and grabbed the keys to the Red Dodge Truck. And before he left their room he gave Rachel a small kiss on her cheek telling her he'll be right back. Not that it mattered hence the fact she was already in a surprisingly deep slumber.

Then as he started the truck he knew it would be about a five-hour drive to wherever he was going, but he could care less. The reason being he was doing this for Rachel and praying to God hoping his plan would succeed in making Rachel happy and her freedom guaranteed. Though he would have to go through Hell, and he knew it, too. That be going through her acclaimed and lauded director of a father Trevor Ryan Roth.

Gar would find a way.

—

—

"Sir you have a visitor," Maggie his secretary ringed from the front desk.

"Send them in," he demanded.

"Okay sir."

Trevor Ryan Roth sure was surprised to see a blond hippy-like flower-child boy go through his two heavy office doors. His face was stern, filled with determination, and confidence boomed. The director was taken back. Whenever someone did enter his office the person would have this feebleness to them, and this type of mouse-like fear inside them would show as if somehow he granted the person the inability to speak or to even move. The confidence this man carried however, who just entered his office, was beyond his means.

Before Trevor Ryan could even speak, the boy—no, man spoke. "I'm here to speak for your daughter. I know where she is and I'm not going to tell you where she is. First off dude, your daughter doesn't want to be found and returned to you like an ex-convict, she wants to go out into real the world, she wants to be free, and I have shown her that by being with her throughout this whole runaway spree of hers. I've kept her safe dude, and if you could just leave her alone I'll pay for her freedom in cash. Whatever just to make her happy. Now if you want the money now—"

"Quiet!"

Gar stopped talking, the sinister voice that hushed him was deemed to make him afraid, but he wasn't afraid. He was more focused on buying Rachel's freedom regardless if they would never see each other again. Dead or alive.

"You're Garfield Mark Logan," Trevor Ryan said, his eyes on the man. "I knew your mother. Marie, isn't it? She was a terrific actress and that dirt-poor man she married, Mark, was your father."

Gar nodded, ignoring the tenacious remark about his father. "Yes."

He continued.

"Your mother acted in some of my films and she was a gem. Sadly your mom didn't live long enough to achieve the fame she was promised. Her acting company didn't give her the fame she deserved either, if only she hadn't had you and married your father, she would've been a star. I'm guessing you carry her natural acting abilities?"

The blond boy always had wanted to act in one of his films. However not today, he was only thinking about Rachel, only Rachel. "Dude I just wanna make a deal with you."

"I don't particularly favor the idea of making a deal with you, Logan. Obviously you had this all figured out in your head that this was going to be easy. But when someone makes a deal with Trevor Ryan, you'll have to do what I say, and what I say only. Now, I admire you for coming in here confident, but whatever deal your wanting to make with me won't be made without a cost.

"If my daughter's freedom really means that much to you, I'm afraid you'll have to do something for me."

Gar nodded. He thought of the rare smiles Rachel had given him and how refreshing they were to see when you caught her at her splendid moments which were rare. Then taking a deep breath. "I'll do anything you ask for."

"Perfect," Trevor Ryan applauded, now raising his eyebrow in comprehension.

That's where Rachel gets it from.

"How did you ever find my secret headquarters?"

Gar shrugged. It wasn't really hard if you had a lot of money saved up in your bank account sent to you by your adopted father, and meet a guy nick-named Gizmo behind a department store, to get a personal database set on a ruthless guy you're about to meet, who could possibly snap you into two. "I have my connections."

The director laughed. "Wow," he said, false amusement set behind his teeth. "Connections. And I thought I was the only who had connections. Well not that things like that will matter anymore after I have you under my wing, Logan. Be surprised, you're deemed for stardom."

_I'm doing this for Rachel._

—

—

She woke up for once in her life feeling happy. What would her and Gar be doing today? Everything Gar had said last night, did he mean it? Was he really such a dreamer? She didn't know but she was willing to forget everything and for her and Gar to focus on doing what they had to do today; forget the past and live for today, was going to be her motto from now on. It was their last day together considering they were both adults and had their own lives to live, they just couldn't keep on spending it by going through escapades on a daily basis. She was here in Jump City for a normal life and he was here in Jump City for... What? She never did ask Gar his reason for wanting to go to Jump City. She then decided she was going to ask him once she would get out of bed and get dressed.

"Gar?" Subsequently putting on her clothes she decided to peek over "the walls of Jericho" to see if Gar was awake yet or not and to her astonishment he wasn't in the bed. She then checked to see if he was in the bathroom but the lights weren't on, which only meant he was down stairs fixing breakfast or maybe talking to Vic and Karen.

When she came downstairs she was surprised to see Vic and Karen walking back and forth as if they were deciding between a rock and a hard place. She could hear the celebrity news from the TV in the living room.

_"...The runaway heiress is found. Reportedly she was staying with friends and is said to be going back under her father's care today."_

She stopped her mouth agape in horror, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. I'm an adult, she thought frustratedly. I don't have to go home. But her father, she knew, had those deep connections and with those "deep connections" she could never be free no matter the circumstances. Nonetheless she was trying to figure out how the news was getting this information. Sitting down on the bottom of the stairs she was in slight reverie for a moment until Karen noticed her as she was heading to the kitchen, a black and yellow striped coffee cup in her hands. "Oh Raven!" she exclaimed, listlessly. "Good morning."

Rachel frowned and got off the steps. She realized Karen was acting differently towards her, not as guest but as if she were intimidating royalty. _I'm suddenly the Queen of England._

"Would you want some coffee? Wait, you might prefer tea, am I right?"

"You listened to that gibberish?" Rachel inquired her voice emotionless and gritty, she decided to sit down in one of the stools that were placed against the island counter. Karen refilling her cup of coffee turned around and looked intently at Rachel. "Should I?"

"No."

"Then who are you really, honey? Gar isn't here, the truck isn't here? You gotta give me something. Are you and Gar really engaged?"

Rachel sighed as Karen started the tea.

"It's a long story that I'm deliberately debating inside my mind whether or not I should tell you."

Karen smiled humbly. It was then Rachel saw she wasn't wearing any make up.

"Well whatever's going on there's reporters on our doorsteps and a few men dressed in black who're telling us they're your 'kin.'" Karen laughed as she finished the sentence. "Wow really cinvinci—honey, are you okay?"

Rachel's eyes were huge. My father's henchmen, great. "Yeah, I'm fine. Is Gar here?"

Karen shook her head. "Like I told ya' when Vic went outside this morning to get the mail he didn't see the truck. Girl, what do Gar be doin' anyway that made him leave so early? When he lived here for awhile he didn't believe in the motto early bird gets the worm, or has that changed?"

The pale girl didn't feel like replying to Karen's questions, she wanted to leave. _Garfield, he told them where I am. That's why he's MIA. That's why they're reporters and Trevor's henchmen are outside on the porch, waiting for me._ She then bit her tongue as Vic entered the kitchen. His face looked a little flushed, maybe all of the soliciting that was being done outside was bothering him. Or maybe he was worried for his best friend. Where is he?

His face lit up as he saw Rachel. "Good morning," he greeted. He had on a giant gray hoodie and some black jogging pants. "You seen Gar this morning?"

Rachel shook her head. He then sighed defeatedly, his eyes drooping reminding her of a teddy bear. "It's not like the little grass-stain to just get up and leave like that." She was guessing "little grass stain" was a nickname to reference of when he had green hair in the past. "Honestly, Raven I thought you convinced him to leave here early."

A bit hurt, she gave him a wry smile. "Trust me Vic, the stories he has told me about you and him... I would never try to break your guy's friendship. Never. And as you see, I'm still here."

He nodded and looked worriedly outside, a frown stretched upon his face.

"Those people are here for you, and I can see you're a runaway heiress." His face brightened up again as he said the last part. "Yeah," she said solemnly. I'm the runaway heiress." Not for long, whatsoever. Her freedom was slowly dwindling but unknown to her the person that was missing in the room was sacrificing himself just to give her that freedom she had always longed for.

"I'll go and get my bag," she announced gravely to the couple. "I've already caused enough trouble today." Getting up from the stool she was stopped by Vic, his eyes were promising but Gar broke a promise utterly big for her to accept anyone else's promises.

"No Raven—Rachel, you really don't have to do that. Gar will be back, he's always late, he's probably just getting some more of his nasty tofu to cook breakfast with." Rachel gave him a minuscule smile, she knew he was just trying to help but she was quite aware Gar left for only one reason and for one reason only. She knew he couldn't keep his promise for long, telling DC New where she was, and that pained her a little, well maybe not a little but a lot. She really thought he had cared about her, maybe even loved her, and it was as if everything from last night demolished and went with him.

Now done making up her bed, she then took down the walls of Jericho and stuffed the cheap small blanket inside her purse. Her luggage was stolen on the train, remember? So of course she really didn't have much stuff to carry. And before exiting the room she saw Gar's bag but it didn't really matter to her. _He'll probably just come back and get it._

—

—

**Artemis Raven Courtney: Thanks for commenting! Yes you're right, Rachel was left a bit perplexed on some of her judgements on Gar being false.**

**JasonVUK: Ha ha! Tara I dislike her, too. Ugh definitely in the comic betraying dear little beast won't need to advertise my story, I don't mind the moderate reviews. But thanks for the offer c: really means a lot. And thank you thank you for commenting.**

**dg25taz: Hopefully she has already helped him or is she going to? Don't worry I'll definitely have him forgetting about Tara in no time. Thanks for commenting c:**

**A/N: I want to have them questioning their feelings just a little more towards each other. But as you see can things are taking a turn for the worse or at least going to. Anyway Rachel isn't a demon worshipper or Wiccan just noting this not to make things seem extremely dark. This is just an ordinary AU. Also thanks for people who have faved and followed! Really means a lot.**

**R&R!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did... Would I be writing this?**

It Was A Night (10)

Gar quickly drove back to Jump City. He was going back to Jump City to tell Rachel everything. Where he had gone to and why. _Hurry up you stupid truck, hurry up,_ he thought agitatedly. The truck was on it's last leg and Gar knew it, too. However with this streak inside him nothing could stop him now. Broken truck or not, if he would have to get out the truck and run, no problem for him.

Therefore, the deal he had made with Trevor Ryan was this: he would have to act in one of his films which was either a good or bad thing. When that guy Gizmo did a personal database check on Rachel's father there were things on there that had scared him. Possibly relating to the fact the guy had many criminal records, that were supposed to seem as if they have been cleared off his name. But that Gizmo sure did know his job, he got into everything centerfold that had been edged out on the famous director's profile even his birth certificate, and his financial whereabouts. However those things didn't matter to Gar as much as it might've mattered to that Gizmo guy with those weird looking googles strapped upon his bald shiny head, he had brightened at the money, both of his black eyes flashed dollar signs, but Gar knew not to go there. Thus the only reason he was doing these things were because of Rachel. Fame and fortune weren't a necessity to him, not even now; he never did really care for those types of materialistic things.

Thus, when he had been a teen he would work plotless hours on farms for some pocket money, doing nothing but plowing, mowing, and taking care of the animals—which he did love doing the most. He had always loved taking care of animals. Ever since he was a kid he had always been good with animals. Big or small, canine or feline, endangered or opulent, it didn't matter. He could always relate to animals more than humans. No one ever did understand him. Rita was a heart warming surrogate mother but it seemed as if Steve always had the upper limb preventing her from ever comforting him, regardless of the situation, wherefore she could never really explain to him why being different wasn't a bad thing. Cliff, his uncle was a bodyguard for celebrities which meant he had to travel a lot and wasn't around much to really explain to him the ups and downs of life. Larry the aviator—his other uncle—was the most sarcastic of them all and witty, and was too much of an eggshell to really go to for advice, then there was the loathsome Steve his surrogate father who if you ever were itching to get any advice from him you might as well have been talking to a fraudulent motivational speaker, you would just be open to insults and an abundance of lectures from him.

Like said, _Rachel understands me,_ he thought, a cheshire grin planted on his lips as he got closer to Vic and Karen's neighborhood. Even though at times she acted as if she didn't understand him, she did. She listened and soaked up everything in her mind as if each word that had escaped from his mouth were a gem. And he knew well. Thus as he reached the neighborhood gate a roll's royce was on the other side, it had a rich ebony color and glistened brightly in the sunlight. Gar feeling a bit self-conscious, the red dodge truck being nothing to rival. He just quietly watched as the car went through the opened gate, then taking a glance at the window to see whom could own such an expensive car he was startled on who was inside.

"Rachel," he whispered, he grew white. She was in the back with two tall bulky men seated beside her; one on one side and the other one the other side, which were probably bodyguards sent by—suddenly a light bulb appeared above his head. "Trevor Ryan." _That must've meant he didn't go through with the deal. What was I thinking?_ He knew what that big bad director was doing now; he was turning this all of around on him, making it seem as if perhaps he ratted her out, like he told the media, or worse... DC News.

"Dammit!" He cursed, hitting his hand hard against the will. _Rachel probably thinks I've betrayed her, _he contemplated deliberately. No, not probably, she feels betrayed. I know she does. He could feel his throat tighten either by defeat or sadness. When he had made that deal with Trevor Ryan he felt as if the deal was genuine and clear. However, thinking back on everything now, he felt like he had made a deal with the damn devil. All those things Rachel had told him: what he did to his late wife and her mother, Arella. _Oh, no!_ he thought. Of course this man was more sinister than he had really thought but that was just the icing on the cake. But now he really knew the guy, and Steve seemed more of an angel compared to him, and that was something Gar never would have ever compared Steve to—an angel. Looking back he probably would've compared him to a fiend of some sort.

Currently attempting to follow after the car, luck just didn't seem to agree with him today. The Red Dodge Truck decided to stop clear in the middle of the road which made it unable for him to follow the Roll's Royce driving down the road. He tried pushing the peddle again but after many tries he knew his luck was doomed. And every car that was passing him gracefully and smoothly, happy they didn't have a peace of junk stuck in the middle of the road, just looked oddly at the truck wondering why a tattered-looking vehicle like this one would be stuck in the middle of the road in this certain neighborhood. Then there would be some other cars honking as they drove by just for the spite of it. "Get your ass out of the way, ya' damn hippy."

Therefore he took out his cell phone and about to dial Vic's number, the screen of his phone struck him; the picture was of Rachel and him. He had remembered when they were walking through one of the train stops, and him being the in-the-moment kind of person had decided to take a picture of the both of them with his phone. Of course Rachel had protested at first but after some coaxing she agreed to do so. Looking more intently at the screen; he could see Rachel's wry smile and his blissful grin, plus telling from those two truly happy smiles, there was something in this picture he could just grasp in a heartbeat. Fondness, caring, and amour.

Subsequently looking at the picture once more, he then dialed Vic's number.

The first words Vic said when he answered were: "Man, where have you been?!"

The blond man sighed pushing his sweaty yellow hair back, and squeezing it in frustration leaning his head against the seat.

"Dude I'll tell you where I've been, when you come see what's wrong with this truck, it quit on me."

"That vintage thing, Man I'm telling you as it is, that truck is no fix. I'll just call J. T. to come and tow it. Maybe I'll go by the shop and try to see what's wrong with it but there's no guarantee it'll be fixed tonight, more later than sooner."—Gar sighed miserably although it was a stolen car—"Sorry man, where ya' at anyway? So I can come and pick you up."

He told him.

"Okay, see ya' later man,"

"See ya."

The line then went dead. _Beep._

—

—

The female waiter set the two cups of steaming joe on the table between the two men."Thanks," Gar said.

The waiter smiled at his politeness and left, letting the two men be.

Vic grabbed his cup of coffee as Gar did the same.

They were currently at a café located in downtown Jump City where the comic book and video stores, and a chain of local restaurants stood. Here in this coffee shop everything was casual; the lights were dimmed, and symphonies of people's lithe conversations soared throughout the room where professional paintings hanged on the forest green walls, the lights being a ombré of colors, that hung from the ceiling dramatically dipping down towards tables set between two modern couches, or in other cases, two tall chairs. There was also a jazz band playing on a small stage consisting of one girl and about five guys either doing variations or covers of oldies.

Therefore Gar sighed laying his head down on the table. He was waiting for his coffee to cool down and Vic looking at him as if he were waiting for him to say something was bugging to him to no end. "What, Vic?"

The mechanic held his hands up in defense. "Nothing, man," he said. "I'm just trying to figure out what's goin' on."

Gar stared up at him irritably with his chin and arms still on the table. His blue eyes looked oddly tired; blood shot and reeking with fatigue. "Nothing," he answered simply, that made Vic smirk. "An' I'm supposed to believe that? Gar, I've known you for almost my whole life and now you're telling me nothing's wrong with you? Man that's like telling your mama you didn't come from her womb. You better give me a better answer than that."

"I'm telling you the tru—" Gar stopped himself for a moment and covered his face with his hands laying his head back down on the table. "Dude, what's wrong with me?"

Vic chuckled. "Nothing's wrong with you other than the fact you hate meat, eat nasty tofu, dress like a hippy, and for not telling me about Rachel."

Said, Gar instantly lifted his head up from the table.

"Don't you mean Raven?"

"I know who she is Gar, earlier today while Karen and I were watching DC news in the living room, we saw everything from runaway heiress to her being Trevor Ryan's daughter." He stared up at his friend in disbelief. "Those sick puppies showed all of that?"

Vic nodded. "Yep, and now you're gonna tell me what's been goin' on," he said. "And no sugar coating it either."

_I might as well,_ thought Gar without any trace of doubt in his mind.

—

—

**JasonVUK: Gar can be the most absentminded person in the universe, sometimes he can be the cause to unlucky things to happening to him.**

**dj25taz: Was it a mistake? What do you think?**

**Artemis Raven Courtney: You're right why does Rachel never get a happy ending? Anyway hopefully she does get a happy ending in this story (but you never know... Shh...) Ha ha! Gar's better than that, you're right I don't think he would ever try to rat Rachel out, regardless of the situation. He's better than that (at least you know he hasn't ratted her out.)**

**DayXBeastboy: Maybe not at the speed of light lol! But hopefully fast enough. I'm glad you like the story.**

**Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you like it so far (and that you think it's an excellent story)**

**A/N: In general, thanks for the comments and faves really means a lot. And I hope you're looking forward to more c: Do you know who Cliff and Larry are?**

**R&R!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. The. Teen Titans. And. I. Never. Will. DC Comic does, though.**

It Was A Night (11)

"Wow."

"I know, Vic. And it's all my fault. Why does everything always have to be my fault? Huh?"

Both cups of coffee were by now done and finished with. The waiter came by with the bill, and Vic out of remorse paid for both coffees. He felt bad for his friend, how such a good deed of his had to take a turn for the very worse.

"And you still have to work for this guy?"

Gar nodded, his blond hair stringy and in his face, he didn't even bother to move the hair away from his eyes. If all, he wanted to hide his eyes behind his hair hence the fact they were consumed with raw emotion that he didn't want Vic to see. Plus he was aware he even looked more like a Hippy than ever before. Therefore he thought when he would return from seeing Trevor Ryan, he would've at least taken a shower although he had taken one last night, that truck didn't have the best air conditioning so he had been sweating profusely on his drive back to and from Jump City, plus the sweat added from when the truck had broken down—being no air conditioning at all and waiting for Vic to come and pick him up.

"Yep. He wants me to be under his acting team. they're known as The Pretenders or something like that. There's like five people in the group, he didn't tell me their names but I'm seeing will be like the next Brat Pack or something close to it. I had to do a lot of screen tests for him, and he said he liked me, and that filming will begin on Monday." Admittedly Gar had been real joyous about getting one of the supporting roles in the film. He would be playing the leading guy's happy-go-lucky friend that helps him on this journey in the artist world where he hopes to come-of-age. The role, by all means, would be very easy for him to play. He would have to go over the script tonight, however he didn't want to do the movie anymore. Trevor Ryan double-crossed him and it had cost him Rachel.

But he knew he had to do it. The reason being he knew if he didn't do it he wouldn't be left off so easy. He had signed a contract that had been partly read, not because of the lots of reading he had to do but because he was trying to hurry back to Jump City in time before Rachel woke up. He didn't want her to think he told DC News or any other resource where she was located. He hadn't even told Trevor Ryan and the thought of him knowing where Rachel was didn't scare him to say the least. He wasn't surprised really now that he had thought about it.

"You're gonna act in a movie, man?" Vic was ultimately perplexed, he was quite aware his best friend had a knack for acting, and now knowing he landed a role in one of Trevor Ryan's movies made him want to get up and hug the string bean, but he remained in his seat. "You should be happy, shouldn't you? That was the reason why you came here."

"Yeah," said Gar, "but it's not good. The only reason I went through went through with thevrole was because of Rachel. He told me he would be willing to accept my offer. I told him I was going to buy Rachel's freedom, but he didn't take my money. Instead I was to sign a contract and take a screen test—which I did both—and that's how I did get the role, but he didn't set Rachel free. Instead he double-crossed me. And now I know Rachel thinks I've betrayed her. But that's not the case. I didn't even tell Trevor Ryan where she was, and now that I remember he didn't even ask me where she was."

The mechanics eyes grew astoundingly large. "He must've tracked you down, man. We probably need to go to Dick for this." Gar mumbled something that Vic wasn't able to hear but he waited for the blond's answer.

Honestly, Gar didn't really like Richard. When he was going through that turbulent divorce with Tara, Richard was making false accusations against him for fraud in N unforgivable way, he was in and out of jail and was one step away from being locked up for life. It's as if during that time Richard had forgotten Gar and him were even friends. He just couldn't help but grimace at the thought of him going to Richard for help. The man who arrested him.

"No."

"No?" Vic gave his friend a peculiar look. "C'mon Gar, just cuz Dick made situations worse for you when you were getting divorced, does not mean he was doing it to give you hard times."

Gar grunted.

"Yeah, tell him that."

Ergo, the two friends agreed to go see Richard the great artful detective after much debate. It was something that took awhile for them to both compromise on, but it was made ado, and ado it was.

—

—

Richard was looking over some papers at his desk unaware of a reunion that was deemed to happen. He just got done talking to Kory on the phone and although he was afraid to admit it he was missing her terribly. She sounded sad on the phone when he had called her; sad that they were not living together in Jump City like a couple ought to. Every time he thought of her he would get this mellow feeling inside when they were apart, one that he never did feel when he was with Babs. Although he thought he had loved her, he didn't. They had both been dating for the same reasons. His father Bruce thought him and Babs complemented each other and had lots in common. However after he found her cheating on him with this guy named Sam, he decided to break-up with her. He didn't feel heartbroken nor did he care what Bruce would think. Plus he didn't even know about Kory and that was one of the reasons, Richard didn't want Kory to move here to Jump City just yet.

Thus as he put the papers into one of the file cabinets and sat back down, the door to his office opened revealing a buff brown man and a blond scrawny flower-child which startled Richard by all means. "Vic?G-Gar?"

"Hey man!" Vic greeted.

Richard stood up and gave Vic one of those handshakes all men did. But Gar sat down in one of the chairs casually observing the office with somewhat of a critical eye. He still couldn't get himself to forgive Richard but he knew it would be for the best to just forgive; let bygones be bygones.

"Gar?" Richard was surprised to see Vic but he was even more surprised to see Gar sitting in his office quiet and dreary. In honest truth he thought the blond would continue to hate him after all of those arrests and accusations he'd made against him during that horrible divorce he was going through. However he was startled on the belief Gar wasn't holding an absolute grudge against him. _After all, _he thought,_ I was doing my job and I'm glad he has come to accept that._

"Hey Dick, how's it been goin?" Gar inquired, getting up from the chair. The two men greeted each other like old friends would but you could still sense some tension between the two. And the tension was now arisen when they both started scuffling on the floor with Gar having the upper limb.

Vic who was minding his own business looking over Richard's surprisingly neat office he was startled on the two men rolling on the ground fighting. What th— He quickly pulled the two men apart. "C'mon guys be mature. Gar we weren't here to seek vengeance."

Gar rolled his eyes. "Yeah but the dude seen it comin.'" Vic sure wasn't trying to laugh he knew he had surprised Richard and that was what made it even more humorous to him. "Have to admit you're right, Gar. Dick ya' doin' alright?"

The raven haired man grimaced and smoothed his hair back, reminding himself to get more hair gel. Looking pointedly at Gar he said, "Yeah I'm fine Vic, just seems maturity hasn't reached some people."

"No," said Gar. "Just seems to me some people forget about their wrongdoings, and just need to be reminded of them sometimes."

"Alright, alright you two calm down. Weren't we here for one thing, Gar?"

The blond nodded with a cheerful grin planted on his face. Vic was debating in his mind whether or not the smile was genuine.

Thereafter telling Richard everything, both men waited for him to say something.

"Well... It seems to me you guys messed with the wrong guy. And seriously though, what did you guys expect from Trevor Ryan Roth a box of chocolates?" He laughed emplacing his feet up on the desk.

"Richard, first off man, this here's grass stain's problem not mine. I'm just bringin' it to the surface." Vic smirked and glanced at Gar knowingly; who glared at him. "Yeah," he said with a deep exaggerating voice. "It's my problem and yeah, here Vic's just bringing it up to the surface." He could see the mechanic crossing his arms at his imbecilic mimicking and mumbling curses underneath his breath.

"Gar tell me how you know Rachel," Richard said curiosity dripping from his voice. When Gar had told him some part of the story, he noticed that every time Rachel's name was brought up he would blush or look down at the ground stuttering a little in the process. He was quite aware who Rachel was, being friends since the age of seven, he was startled upon how much they've been out of touch. Only really knowing each other's whereabouts when Kory would bring up one person's name in a conversation they'd be having on the phone or very much in person.

"W-well," stammered Gar, "s-she's Trevor Ryan's d-daughter a-and um... I'm a-afraid for-r h-her w-well being."

Richard and Vic then started laughing.

"What?!" He shrieked. "I'm just worried about her that's all."

"Then tell me this," said Richard, the laugh still in him. "Why did you make that deal with Trevor Ryan then?"

"I don't know."

"There's gotta be a reason," added Vic.

"Well... There's not,"

"There's always a reason for everything," Richard said leaning back against the leather chair. "Hit us with your best shot."

For a moment there Gar was going to come up with some illogical excuse but he didn't. He wasn't really angry at Richard, the reason being he knew why he was asking this, he could see it in his face. There was an understanding. Rachel he cared for a lot, and wasnt sure if the feeling was mutual anymore. He didn't really see her face when he had seen her in the Roll's Royce to predict how she was feeling. Everything just happened so fast; to him going to her father to him seeing her leave in that Roll's Royce. It was really hard for him to decide whether or not he did love her, everytime he would think of her—like now—he would start to blush, his stomach would begun to flutter, and his heart would began to beat fast as if it were a woodpecker pecking a tree.

"I think... I think I'm in love with her.

—

—

When Rachel appeared in her father's office she wasn't surprised to see only Mitch in the room. Honestly she would have to say she had once loved him, but now she loathed him. He didn't love her and she didn't love him. The argument between her and her father probably would've once been because she was in love with Mitch and wanted to marry him but it wasn't that. The reason her and Trevor Ryan had that argument in the first place was because she didn't wanna marry Mitch. He was basically just using her, and Trevor Ryan knew it, too. And that was why she was arranged to marry Mitch.

With her jaw clenched, she didn't even make eye contact with him. Obviously she knew what he looked like. His hair was this platinum mediocre blond hair that went a little past his ears, he had pale skin with his azure eyes contrasting brightly, and his scrawny figure that made him look as if he hadn't eaten a thing. Once she had thought all things physical about him were attractive and now those features of his made her want to gag.

Mitch was the first one to speak, his lucid gaze centered upon her. "Nice to see you Rachel," he said with a casted sinister grin. "You look more beautiful than usual. Where did you get the dress?"

Rachel resisted the urge to slap him by just simply ignoring him. She was startled on the fact that she realized she was wearing the dress the traitor had boughten her when they had stayed at that uncanny motel in Starling City.

"Not gonna answer me? Fine, I don't care. You actually thought you were gonna marry that hippy, didn't you?"

_Maybe, maybe not,_ Rachel thought tiredly. She couldn't believe she had convinced herself to think she was actually in love with Gar. Forsooth she was kind of embarrassed for thinking she cared about him, she felt like a naïve bimbo and if that was one of the things she hated the most—feeling incompetent.

"What was the guy's name again Grant? Gus? Or was it Gan?"

_Idiot._

She wasn't bolted out of the blue that Mitch knew about Gar but she was having a hard time deciding whether or not if he really did know about Gar, considering he was having a hard time with his name. Maybe DC news released his name out into the public, wondering who got the award and who was such a scumbag to be able to live with themselves for ratting out a poor girl with less freedom than a caged bird. She felt as if she were a raven trapped in a cage desperately wanting to get out, and spending those days with Gar on the trains they had to take just to get to their final destination, and instead of being a freed bird she was still a caged bird. However instead it was as if the owner decided to leave the bird's cage open for a few hours trying to figure out how to ruin the precious ebony bird's life even more when it would go back to being caged again.

Thus Rachel could feel goose-bumps beginning to prickle on her ghostly pale-like skin. Too paranoid to think of anything else right now she was beginning to think Trevor Ryan wasn't going to come. And Mitch's teetering of Gar's name was beginning to annoy her.

"It's Gar," she mumbled, her fingers gripping the bridge of her nose. "Now shut up or I'll make you."

Truthfully Mitch was scared of Rachel. He was aware of what she could do but unaware of what she couldn't do. She stayed true to herself and was firm in her beliefs, but it angered him that she didn't love him. He continued to love her, and him knowing she fell in love with that stranger—although she was denying the claims. He couldn't help but feel choleric over the fact she was in love with a stranger rather than him.

Rachel was glad he closed his mouth and just then Trevor Ryan Roth decided to walk through the two heavy office doors. He walked pass the soon–to–be married couple, and sat down at his desk sorting through papers and throwing some papers into the small trash can nearby. He seemed to be in a content state but there was never an absolute feat about him. He could be happy and you wouldn't even know it.

"Sit down," he said casually motioning towards the two chairs in front of his desk. They both sat down.

Rachel was guessing his mood was in a decent state, if he were angry he wouldn't have allowed them to sit down in the chairs. He would've kept them standing till kingdom come.

"Hello Mitchell and Rachel, I hope you didn't have to wait too long. You're both in my office for reasons that are identical to my plans for the both of you." For some reason, admittedly, Rachel couldn't help but feel as if her and Mitch were a married couple that were trying to see if they were able to bore children or not. The image disturbed her in many ways unknown to mankind. She then listened as her father continued to talk. "You guys are going to marry this Saturday."

The pale girl internally was shocked and miffed but knowingly she remained unfazed outwardly. Showing emotion to her father was something utterly illiberal to him. He hated emotions, every single emotion except the ones consisting of anger, greed and hate which as you could imagine made him into this wicked gnarled-up sort of person consumed with dirt as if he were the wicked witch of the east. She knew not to disagree with him but from when she had left, she wouldn't mind protesting again. Just not yet, she thought. When the spirit gives me strength, I will protest again.

"The nuptials are already planned..."

She wasn't real sure if she heard everything her father did say after that but it didn't matter to her anymore. She was gonna think of something; Gar or no Gar, she was getting her freedom back, one way or another she was going to get her freedom back.

—

—

**JasonVUK: Lol! That's Gar for you. **

**dj25taz: Could it be because Gar sees the good in people? But Gar can be pretty dumb when he wants to be.**

**titansoul123: Thanks for the comments. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Anyways your answer is correct. **

**A/N: I know Ive been crazy with these updates lately (I might not update in a long time ya' never know) and I hope you all enjoy the chapters so far. And please tell me what ya' think c:**

**P.S. Richard aka Dick is Robin and Mitch is of course Malchior plus thanks for the favs and follows.**

**R&R!**


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